# tract

/ˈtɹækt/ (US) · /tɹˈækt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tract
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. area of land

noun · CEFR B2

a large area of land, especially one that is not built on.

For teachers: an expansive area or stretch of land, often used in the context of development or natural geography.

- The company bought a large tract of land to build a new housing estate.
- Conservationists are fighting to protect this vast tract of untouched forest from industrial logging and agricultural expansion.

### 2. body system

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a system of connected organs in the body that have a specific job.

For teachers: a system of connected organs and structures that perform a collective physiological function.

- Drinking plenty of water is good for your digestive tract.
- The patient was diagnosed with an infection of the upper respiratory tract, requiring a course of targeted antibiotics.

### 3. short writing

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a short piece of writing, usually a booklet, that explains a religious or political idea.

For teachers: a brief treatise or pamphlet, typically one used for religious or political persuasion.

- He spent his weekends handing out religious tracts on the street corner.
- The library archives contain several radical political tracts published during the late eighteenth century that influenced the revolutionary movement.

### 4. duration of time

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a long period or stretch of time.

For teachers: a protracted or continued duration of time.

- In the long tract of time, many ancient cities have been forgotten.
- The poet reflects on the vast tract of years that have passed since he last visited his childhood home.

## Examples

- The farmer owns a large tract of land.
- Doctors examined his respiratory tract to find the cause of his persistent cough.
- The environmental agency purchased a vast tract of forest to protect the local wildlife from urban development, ensuring the ecosystem remains undisturbed for future generations.

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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.