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trace

trace

492 3.3
A small sign that something was there
  • noun
  • /treɪs/
translation icon : traza
  • After searching the area thoroughly, they only found a faint trace of the missing hiker's presence.
  • trace amounts
  • trace elements
  • trace metals

And within three weeks they were having difficulty finding any trace of cancer in my body.

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Examples

  • I mean, there was still no trace of her anywhere.

  • No one has ever found a trace of Noonan Earhart or her Elektra.

  • However, neither such a source nor many traces of a campaign have been found.

    Academic text (1999)
  • What about the traces of radiation?

  • Her hair was coal black, and there was a trace of it above her full lips.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • They did find a trace of the stuff in there.

  • He left fresh traces behind.

  • His workers began to abandon him when many of their fellow workers reportedly disappeared without a trace.

  • Our temperament is the thing that will die with us, leaving traces only in the best work.

    Academic text (2015)
  • An old man appears on stage with traces of worry on his wrinkled face.

    Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

mark
vstrace
468 1.0

A visible line, spot, scratch, or stain on a surface

covers any tiny sign that shows something once existed or was present
track
vstrace
381 5.0

A piece of evidence that helps solve a crime or problem

is a general tiny sign or amount, not mainly investigative
trail
vstrace
231 1.4

A visible sign left where a person or animal has passed

is any small sign or amount indicating prior presence or existence
shadow
vstrace
228 5.8

A feeling that something is less noticeable because of someone or something else

is any small sign or amount without the usual negative tone
hint
vstrace
153 1.5

A very small amount of something you can taste, see, or feel

is the broader word for any tiny sign of prior existence
touch
vstrace
130 1.8

A small amount of something that you can notice

is a general tiny sign that can be physical or abstract
ghost
vstrace
116 6.1

A faint memory or feeling from the past that affects you

is any small sign or amount, not necessarily linked to memory or trauma
suggestion
vstrace
24 3.5

A small sign that something is there

is a general small sign rather than implying something indirectly
footprint
vstrace
23 4.5

A lasting sign that someone or something was once present and had an effect

is a general small sign or amount showing past presence
vestige
vstrace
23 8.4

A small part that remains from something that once existed

is a broader small sign that does not imply disappearance
tint
vstrace
1 3.6

A small amount of a feeling, like sadness or excitement

is any small sign or amount beyond just qualities like color
tincture
vstrace
1 7.7

A small amount of a color or feeling that is easy to miss

is a wider term for any small sign, not only subtle quality hints

Compounds

trace element
  • Specialized
5 4.4

A very small amount of a metal or mineral the body needs to stay healthy

6.7

A way to find tiny amounts of explosives on bags using a cloth and a machine

memory trace
  • Specialized
7.8

A change in brain cells that keeps information about an experience

memory trace
  • Specialized
6.7

A recorded list of a computer program's memory use to help find errors

trace detector
  • Specialized
5.4

A device that checks for tiny amounts of explosives at security checkpoints

trace detector
  • Specialized
4.9

A device that finds very small amounts of chemicals in air, water or on surfaces

trace italienne
  • Specialized
9.9

A type of fortress design with many triangular outer walls that let defenders' guns cover each other

trace program
  • Specialized
5.2

A tool that shows each step a computer program takes while it runs to find errors

How Much

evidence
1.8
sign
3.2
trace
492 3.3
absence
216 2.1

Surface Forms

trace singular
traces plural

Etymology

Trace comes from the Latin root trahere 'to pull' and passed through Old French as a word for a 'track' or mark left behind. So a trace is a small sign or mark that shows something was once there.