Trace
/treɪs/noun
A mark, sign, or trail left behind by something that has passed.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from a Germanic hunting sense, and its deeper root is tied to the idea of pulling or dragging something along a path.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*trag-
“to draw, pull”
Latin
Latin
trahere
“to pull, drag”
Late Latin
Latin
tractus
“a drawing out; a course or track”
Old French
Old French
trace
“a track, trail, or footprint”
Middle English
English
trace
“a track or course left by movement”
Modern English
English
trace
“a mark, sign, or trail left behind by something that has passed”