trail

B1 Topic:Places & Geography

US /tɹeɪl/ See IPA manual

Freq #2877

Meanings

1

noun
A path through the countryside or a rough area.

We followed the mountain trail to the top.
2

noun
A mark or series of signs left behind by someone or something.

There was a trail of blood leading to the door.
3

verb
To follow behind someone or something secretly.

The hunters trailed their prey deep into the woods.
4

verb
To drag or hang loosely behind, moving slowly.

The bride's long dress trailed behind her down the aisle.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a path through the... path track

2 noun · a mark or series of signs... track

Word family

Forms trailedtrailingtrails

Derived forms trailertrailing

Related forms path track

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

condensation trail
a visible cloudlike trail formed by moisture associated with an aircraft

Noun + noun
trail boss
the person in charge of a cattle drive

Noun + noun

Idioms (1)

See all

blaze a trail
to pioneer an approach that opens the way for later people

Etymology

From Middle English trailen, from Old French trailler (“to tow; pick up the scent of a quarry”), from Vulgar Latin *tragulāre (“to drag”), from Latin tragula (“dragnet, javelin thrown by a strap”), probably related to Latin trahere (“to pull, drag along”).

trailen Middle English trailler Old French *tragulāre la-vul tragula Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Places & Geography

External links

# trail

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /tɹeɪl/
**Frequency rank:** 2877

## Meanings
1. A path through the countryside or a rough area.
2. A mark or series of signs left behind by someone or something.
3. To follow behind someone or something secretly.
4. To drag or hang loosely behind, moving slowly.

## Examples
- We followed the mountain trail to the top.
- There was a trail of blood leading to the door.
- The hunters trailed their prey deep into the woods.
- The bride's long dress trailed behind her down the aisle.

## Derived Forms
- trailer
- trailing

## Related Forms
- path
- track

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: trailen
- Root: trailler
- Root: *tragulāre
- Root: tragula

## Etymology
From Middle English trailen, from Old French trailler (“to tow; pick up the scent of a quarry”), from Vulgar Latin *tragulāre (“to drag”), from Latin tragula (“dragnet, javelin thrown by a strap”), probably related to Latin trahere (“to pull, drag along”).

## AI Etymology
Trail is from Middle English trailen, from Old French trailler (“to tow; pick up the scent of a quarry”), from Vulgar Latin *tragulāre (“to drag”), from Latin tragula (“dragnet, javelin thrown by a strap”), probably related to Latin trahere (“to pull, drag along”). In present-day use, it can mean a path through the countryside or a rough area, or a mark or series of signs left behind by someone or something. Derived formations include trailer, trailing.

## Topics
- Places & Geography

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