## 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
- Space, Position & Direction

markdown

trail

Meanings

Thesaurus

Common collocations

Etymology

Topics

External links

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback