Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense traffics, present participle trafficking, past tense, past participle trafficked
1. uncountable noun [oft theNOUN]
Traffic refers to all the vehicles that are moving along the roads in a particular area.
There was heavy traffic on the roads.
Traffic was unusually light for that time of day.
...the problems of city life, such as traffic congestion.
Synonyms: transport, movement, vehicles, transportation More Synonyms of traffic
2. See also traffic jam
3. uncountable noun [usually noun NOUN]
Traffic refers to the movement of ships, trains, or aircraft between one place and another. Traffic also refers to the people and goods that are being transported.
Air traffic had returned to normal.
The railways will carry a far higher proportion of freight traffic.
The ferries can cope with the traffic of both goods and passengers.
Synonyms: transportation, shipping, transport, freight More Synonyms of traffic
4. See also air traffic control
5. uncountable noun
Trafficin something such as drugs or stolen goods is an illegal trade in them.
He condemned the ruthless illegal traffic in endangered animals. [+ in]
6. verb
Someone who trafficsin something such as drugs or stolen goods buys and sells them even though it is illegal to do so.
The president said anyone who traffics in illegal drugs should be brought to justice. [VERB + in]
Synonyms: trade, market, deal, exchange More Synonyms of traffic
traffickinguncountable noun [usually noun NOUN]
...a documentary film to raise awareness of child trafficking in Europe.
...the trafficking of illegal weapons.
7. uncountable noun
The amount of traffic that a website gets is the number of visitors to that website.
[computing]
Traffic to the site had increased threefold.
More Synonyms of traffic
traffic in British English
(ˈtræfɪk)
noun
1.
a.
the vehicles coming and going in a street, town, etc
b.
(as modifier)
traffic lights
2.
the movement of vehicles, people, etc, in a particular place or for a particular purpose
sea traffic
3.
a.
the business of commercial transportation by land, sea, or air
b.
the freight, passengers, etc, transported
4. (usually foll by with)
dealings or business
have no traffic with that man
5.
trade, esp of an illicit or improper kind
drug traffic
6.
the aggregate volume of messages transmitted through a communications system in a given period
7. mainly US
the number of customers patronizing a commercial establishment in a given time period
verbWord forms: -fics, -ficking or -ficked(intransitive)
8. (often foll by in)
to carry on trade or business, esp of an illicit kind
9. (usually foll by with)
to have dealings
Derived forms
trafficker (ˈtrafficker)
noun
trafficless (ˈtrafficless)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Old French trafique, from Old Italian traffico, from trafficare to engage in trade
traffic in American English
(ˈtræfɪk)
noun
1. Archaic
a.
transportation of goods for trading
b.
trading over great distances; commerce
2.
buying and selling; barter; trade, sometimes, specif., of a wrong or illegal kind
traffic in drugs
3.
dealings, business, or intercourse (with someone)
4.
a.
the movement or number of automobiles along a street, pedestrians along a sidewalk, ships using a port, etc.
b.
the automobiles, pedestrians, ships, etc. so moving
5.
the number of passengers, quantity of freight, etc. carried by a transportation company during a given period
6.
the volume of telegrams, calls, etc. transmitted by a communications company during a given period
7.
the number of potential customers entering a retail store during a given period
adjective
8.
of or having to do with traffic
a traffic violation, traffic manager
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈtrafficked or ˈtrafficking
9.
to carry on traffic, esp. illegal trade (in a commodity)
10.
to have traffic, trade, or dealings (with someone)
Derived forms
trafficker (ˈtrafficker)
noun
Word origin
Fr trafic < It traffico < trafficare, to trade < L trans, across +It ficcare, to thrust in, bring < VL *figicare, intens. for L figere: see finish
traffic in Retail
(træfɪk) or footfall
noun
(Retail: General)
The traffic of a shopping mall or store is the number of people who pass through it.
Retailers now have to work much harder at driving traffic into their stores, maintaining their sales volumes, and retaining customer loyalty.
At trade shows, the name of the game is traffic, as in getting it to your booth.
The traffic of a shopping mall or store is the number of people who pass through it.
walk-in traffic
COBUILD Collocations
traffic
block traffic
city traffic
direct traffic
monitor traffic
motorway traffic
oncoming traffic
slow traffic
web traffic
Examples of 'traffic' in a sentence
traffic
They aim to snarl traffic in the area by blocking the main coastal motorway.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It also blamed lower traffic in its stores.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
We could have asked air traffic control to help us determine the best plan for our return.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Unexpected headwinds and air traffic delays quickly eat up reserves.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was serving 20 years for mafia association and arms and drugs trafficking.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Air traffic movements at the west London hub are stuck at flat.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
At this time traffic to internet shopping sites is 75 per cent higher than at the quietest times.
Computing (2010)
The traffic jams also meant I was able to take in the cabin properly.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The PM yesterday urged world leaders to make people trafficking as important an issue as the war on drugs.
The Sun (2016)
We profiled one who is leading the fight against human trafficking in the city.
Christianity Today (2000)
They just mean more traffic in the area.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He followed me as far as the traffic lights and wrote the song overnight.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Some claimed that the measures would be used to enforce traffic offences or illegal music downloads.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You spend most of the time in traffic.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It claimed that the incident had compromised sensitive information on organised crime and drug trafficking.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The convoluted path of web traffic can also cause delays.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It was certainly not one way traffic though.
The Sun (2015)
Traffic congestion around the airport is already appalling and will get worse.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
To earn profits the railroads had to carry as much traffic as possible.
Garraty, John Arthur The American Nation: A History of the United States to 1877 (1995)
Air traffic controllers went on strike a few days ago in protest at their dangerous working conditions.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The aircraft was tracked by air traffic control.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The stress of seeing people wrangle with traffic wardens might just send you over the edge.
The Sun (2014)
Traffic is always heavy on commuter routes to and from the north of the city.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
No commercial air traffic was allowed in or out of the area while the presidential party were there.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Our railways are experiencing a renaissance and will not have the capacity for both passenger and freight traffic unless we act now.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It has sufficient business traffic coming to London to enable these flights to be profitable.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Freight traffic was down by 10.1 per cent in the year.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In recent months an Egyptian military operation to combat the rising insurgency has helped to slow down the trafficking business.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
traffic
British English: traffic /ˈtræfɪk/ NOUN
Traffic refers to all the vehicles that are moving along the roads in an area.
Traffic was unusually light for that time of day.
American English: traffic
Arabic: مُرُور
Brazilian Portuguese: trânsito
Chinese: 交通
Croatian: promet
Czech: doprava dopravní ruch
Danish: trafik
Dutch: verkeer
European Spanish: tráfico
Finnish: liikenne ruuhka ym.
French: trafic
German: Verkehr
Greek: κίνηση στον δρόμο
Italian: traffico
Japanese: 交通
Korean: 교통
Norwegian: trafikk
Polish: ruch uliczny
European Portuguese: trânsito
Romanian: trafic
Russian: дорожное движение
Latin American Spanish: tráfico
Swedish: trafik
Thai: การจราจร
Turkish: trafik
Ukrainian: транспортний рух
Vietnamese: giao thông
All related terms of 'traffic'
air traffic
the organized movement of aircraft within a given space
traffic cop
a police officer who supervises road traffic
traffic jam
A traffic jam is a long line of vehicles that cannot move forward because there is too much traffic, or because the road is blocked by something.
web traffic
The amount of traffic that a website gets is the number of visitors to that website.
block traffic
Traffic refers to all the vehicles that are moving along the roads in a particular area.
city traffic
Traffic refers to all the vehicles that are moving along the roads in a particular area.
foot traffic
the wear and tear caused to a surface by people walking on it
peak traffic
traffic at the time it is most busy
rail traffic
the vehicles, passengers , or freight that are moving from place to place by railway
river traffic
the boats that sail on a river
road traffic
traffic on the road
slave traffic
the traffic of slaves
slow traffic
Traffic refers to all the vehicles that are moving along the roads in a particular area.
traffic cone
A traffic cone is a plastic object with a pointed top that is placed on a road to prevent people from driving or parking there.
traffic court
a magistrates ' court dealing with traffic offences
traffic duty
an assignment to help the flow of traffic and enforce traffic regulations
traffic light
Traffic lights are sets of red, amber, and green lights at the places where roads meet . They control the traffic by signalling when vehicles have to stop and when they can go. Traffic lights can also be referred to as a traffic light .
traffic sign
a sign erected at the side of a road to provide information to road users
direct traffic
Traffic refers to all the vehicles that are moving along the roads in a particular area.
holiday traffic
increased road traffic during holiday periods and public holidays
monitor traffic
The amount of traffic that a website gets is the number of visitors to that website.
through traffic
traffic which continues on a road or highway rather than crossing onto a different road
tourist traffic
the number of tourists that visit an area
traffic calming
Traffic calming consists of measures designed to make roads safer , for example making them narrower or placing obstacles in them, so that drivers are forced to slow down.
traffic circle
A traffic circle is a circular structure in the road at a place where several roads meet . You drive round it until you come to the road that you want .
traffic control
control of the flow of traffic in a city, in the air, on the sea, or on the railways
traffic holdup
a temporary stoppage in the flow of traffic where a number of vehicles are obstructed and unable to move
traffic island
a raised area in the middle of a road, designed as a guide for traffic and to provide a stopping place for pedestrians
traffic lights
a set of coloured lights placed at crossroads , junctions , etc, to control the flow of traffic
traffic offence
a violation of traffic regulations , such as breaking the speed limit
traffic pattern
a pattern of permitted lanes in the air around an airport to which an aircraft is restricted
traffic police
a unit of a police force, whose job is to control traffic and enforce traffic regulations
traffic signals
a set of coloured lights placed at crossroads , junctions , etc, to control the flow of traffic
traffic warden
A traffic warden is a person whose job is to make sure that cars are not parked illegally.
motorway traffic
Traffic refers to all the vehicles that are moving along the roads in a particular area.
oncoming traffic
Traffic refers to all the vehicles that are moving along the roads in a particular area.
passenger traffic
number of passengers
pedestrian traffic
the people coming and going on foot in a street , town, etc
traffic congestion
If there is congestion in a place, the place is extremely crowded and blocked with traffic or people.
traffic controller
a person whose job is to control the flow of air traffic
traffic diversion
a special route arranged for traffic to follow when the normal route cannot be used
traffic policeman
a police officer controlling traffic , esp while stationed at an intersection , or enforcing traffic regulations
traffic policemen
a police officer controlling traffic , esp while stationed at an intersection , or enforcing traffic regulations
traffic violation
US → another name for traffic offence
rush-hour traffic
the large number of vehicles that move along roads , travelling to or from work at the beginning and end of the working day
traffic engineering
a discipline which includes the design of highways and pedestrian ways, the study and application of traffic statistics , and the environmental aspects of the transportation of goods and people
traffic information
Information about someone or something consists of facts about them.
traffic regulations
rules designed to expedite the flow of traffic and prevent collisions
walk-in traffic
The walk-in traffic of a store is the number of people who choose to visit it as they pass by.
air-traffic control
Air traffic control is the activity of organizing the routes that aircraft should follow , and telling pilots by radio which routes they should take .