English Reference
verb · noun

transfer

v. · n.
US /ˈtɹænsfɝ/ trans·fer UK spelling transfer's, transfer's, transferred

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    v.to move someone or something from one place to another.

    v.to convey or shift an object, person, or data from one location or context to another. Transitive in this sense.

    Simple

    I need to transfer my photos from my phone to my computer.

    In context

    The IT department will transfer all legacy data to the new cloud server over the weekend to ensure a seamless transition for the staff.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    v.to move to a different department, office, or school.

    v.to relocate professionally or academically to a different branch, department, or institution.

    Simple

    She decided to transfer to the London office to be closer to her family.

    In context

    After completing his sophomore year, the student opted to transfer to a university with a more robust research programme in molecular biology.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    v.to officially give money, property, or power to someone else.

    v.to legally or formally assign ownership, rights, or responsibility to another party.

    Simple

    He transferred the money to his sister's bank account yesterday.

    In context

    The deed of the property was officially transferred to the trust following the finalisation of the probate proceedings.

    assignbequeathhand over
  4. 04 B1 Intermediate

    n.the act of moving something or someone to a new place.

    n.the process or instance of conveying something from one person, place, or situation to another.

    Simple

    The bank charges a small fee for every international wire transfer.

    In context

    The patient's transfer to the intensive care unit was handled with extreme caution due to his unstable respiratory condition.

  5. 05 B2 Upper Intermediate Sport

    n.a professional player who moves from one team to another.

    n.the relocation of a professional athlete between clubs, often involving a contractual buyout or fee.

    Simple

    The team's new transfer scored a goal in his very first game.

    In context

    The club broke its previous spending record to secure the transfer of the young striker before the summer window closed.

  6. 06 B1 Intermediate

    n.a ticket or a place where you change from one bus or train to another.

    n.an instance of changing between public transport vehicles, or the document permitting such a change.

    Simple

    We have a two-hour transfer in Chicago before our flight to New York.

    In context

    The city's integrated transit system allows passengers to use a single transfer for both the subway and the bus network within a ninety-minute window.

Usage transfer window · facilitate transfer · transfer extent

If Fernandez did join City for £120m it would make it the fourth biggest transfer in football history.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026

The state's forest department has since begun investigating how the gibbon came to be at a private home and whether rules governing its possession and transfer were followed.

BBC News· 13 Aug 2026

From Latin trānsferō (“I bear across”). Distant doublet of translate. See also collate and confer, delate and defer, as well as prelate and prefer among others.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin trānsferō
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated