track

About This Root

From Old French trac (a track, trail), related to Latin tractus (a drawing, pulling — from trahere). The core image is a path left by something being dragged or drawn along. In English: track (a path or trail), trackless (pathless), untracked (without footprints), and retrace (to follow a path back). Connects the physical mark of passage with the act of following.

Associated Words