# traces

/ˈtɹeɪsəz/ (US) · /tɹˈeɪsɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/traces
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. small amounts

noun · CEFR B1

very small marks or amounts of something that show it was there.

For teachers: minute or barely detectable quantities or signs of a substance or past presence.

- The police found traces of mud on the carpet near the broken window.
- Archaeologists discovered faint traces of a Roman settlement beneath the modern city streets during the excavation.

### 2. to follow or find

verb · CEFR B2

to find the origin of something or follow its history.

For teachers: to follow or determine the course, development, or history of something from its beginning.

- The book traces the history of the family back to the 1800s.
- The documentary traces the evolution of jazz from its roots in New Orleans to its global influence today.

### 3. to copy an outline

verb · CEFR B1

to copy a drawing by drawing over its lines on a thin piece of paper.

For teachers: to copy a drawing, map, or design by following its lines on a transparent sheet placed over it.

- The child carefully traces the shape of the letter with a red crayon.
- The architect traces the original floor plan onto a new sheet to begin the renovation designs.

## Examples

- The police found traces of mud on the carpet.
- The laboratory tests revealed tiny traces of a banned substance in the athlete's blood sample.
- Archaeologists discovered faint traces of a Roman settlement beneath the modern city streets, providing evidence of a sophisticated irrigation system that had been forgotten for centuries.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.