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View synonyms for

traffic

[ traf-ik ]

noun

  1. the movement of vehicles, ships, persons, etc., in an area, along a street, through an air lane, over a water route, etc.:

    the heavy traffic on Main Street.

  2. the vehicles, persons, etc., moving in an area, along a street, etc.
  3. the transportation of goods for the purpose of trade, by sea, land, or air:

    ships of traffic.

  4. trade; buying and selling; commercial dealings.
  5. trade between different countries or places; commerce.
  6. the business done by a railroad or other carrier in the transportation of freight or passengers.
  7. the aggregate of freight, passengers, telephone or telegraph messages, etc., handled, especially in a given period.
  8. communication, dealings, or contact between persons or groups:

    traffic between the Democrats and the Republicans.

  9. mutual exchange or communication:

    traffic in ideas.

  10. trade in some specific commodity or service, often of an illegal nature:

    the vast traffic in narcotics.

  11. illegal commercial trade in human beings for the purpose of exploiting them:

    the traffic in young children.



verb (used without object)

trafficked, trafficking.
  1. to carry on traffic, trade, or commercial dealings.
  2. to trade or deal in a specific commodity or service, often of an illegal nature (usually followed by in ):

    to traffic in opium.

verb (used with object)

trafficked, trafficking.
  1. (of vehicles or persons) to move over or through (a place):

    It's a heavily trafficked bridge.

  2. to trade or deal in (a commodity or service):

    to traffic guns.

  3. to trade in (human beings) for the purpose of exploitation:

    He was convicted for trafficking illegal immigrants.

traffic

/ ˈٰæɪ /

noun

    1. the vehicles coming and going in a street, town, etc
    2. ( as modifier )

      traffic lights

  1. the movement of vehicles, people, etc, in a particular place or for a particular purpose

    sea traffic

    1. the business of commercial transportation by land, sea, or air
    2. the freight, passengers, etc, transported
  2. usually foll by with dealings or business

    have no traffic with that man

  3. trade, esp of an illicit or improper kind

    drug traffic

  4. the aggregate volume of messages transmitted through a communications system in a given period
  5. the number of customers patronizing a commercial establishment in a given time period
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. often foll by in to carry on trade or business, esp of an illicit kind
  2. usually foll by with to have dealings
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٰڴھ, noun
  • ˈٰڴھ, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • ٰf· noun
  • ٰf· adjective
  • t·ٰf noun verb intertrafficked intertrafficking
  • ܲ·ٰf adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of traffic1

First recorded in 1495–1505; earlier traffyk, from Middle French trafique (noun), trafiquer; (verb) from Italian traffico (noun), trafficare (verb), of disputed origin
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Word History and Origins

Origin of traffic1

C16: from Old French trafique , from Old Italian traffico , from trafficare to engage in trade
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Synonym Study

See trade.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

State law also carries stronger felony penalties for sex trafficking a minor under age 18.

From

Local police in Barcelona returned to the old ways, regulating traffic in the Plaça España because the lights were out.

From

He nurtured his businesses and was appointed to serve on Westminster’s traffic commission in 1989.

From

Google is still by far the dominant player in search, capturing roughly 89% of global traffic, according to analyst estimates.

From

By the end of May, Caltrans said it expects to reopen a wider swath of the coastal highway, from Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades to Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu, to regular traffic.

From

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Trafalgar, Battle oftrafficability