Track vs. Tract — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023
Track can refer to a path, a recording, or following something. Tract commonly denotes a stretch of land or a section of a bodily or written system.
Difference Between Track and Tract
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Track" is versatile, pointing to a path, a recorded piece of music, or even the act of following something. "Tract," while specific, typically signifies an expanse of land or a section of an organ or system within the body.
In terms of paths, a "track" often alludes to a prepared path or course for running, racing, or traveling. On the other hand, a "tract" is unlikely to be employed in this context, as its implications toward land usually pertain to larger expanses without designated pathways.
"Track" as a verb emphasizes following or monitoring the path or progress of something. This usage is absent in "tract," which doesn’t function as a verb and maintains a focus on being a defined, often sizable, section or area.
In musical contexts, a "track" commonly refers to a recorded piece or segment of music. "Tract" veers away from this application, generally confining its reference to physical or written segments, such as parcels of land or parts of a pamphlet.
In anatomy and literature, "tract" finds its niche, referring to specific sections of the body or parts of written works. Conversely, "track" doesn’t naturally fit into these contexts and is more attuned to discussions of paths, recordings, or following a course.
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Comparison Chart
General Meaning
Path/Recording/Following
Land/Bodily or Written Section
Usage as a Verb
Yes (e.g., to track)
No
Musical Context
Applicable (e.g., music track)
Not applicable
Bodily Reference
Not common
Common (e.g., digestive tract)
Land Reference
Specific path
General expanse
Compare with Definitions
Track
The broader route or direction
Track the shipment to monitor delivery.
Tract
A section of a system in the body
Issues in the digestive tract can be problematic.
Track
A designated path
The runner sprinted around the track.
Tract
A distinct portion of an area
This tract of the sea is known for its rough tides.
Track
A recording of music
This track is climbing the charts.
Tract
An expanse of land or water.
Track
A mark or succession of marks left by something that has passed.
Tract
A specified or limited area of land
Developing a 30-acre tract.
Track
A path, route, or course indicated by such marks
An old wagon track through the mountains.
Tract
A system of organs and tissues that together perform a specialized function
The alimentary tract.
Track
A path along which something moves; a course
Following the track of an airplane on radar.
Tract
A bundle of nerve fibers having a common origin, termination, and function.
Track
A course of action; a method of proceeding
On the right track for solving the puzzle.
Tract
(Archaic) A stretch or lapse of time.
Track
An intended or proper course
Putting a stalled project back on track.
Tract
A leaflet or pamphlet containing a declaration or appeal, especially one put out by a religious or political group.
Track
A succession of ideas; a train of thought.
Tract
The verses from Scripture sung after the gradual in the Roman Catholic Mass during penitential seasons such as Lent or as part of a Requiem.
Track
Awareness of something occurring or passing
Keeping track of the score.
Lost all track of time.
Tract
An area or expanse.
An unexplored tract of sea
Track
A course laid out for running or racing.
Tract
(anatomy) A series of connected body organs, such as the digestive tract.
Track
Athletic competition on such a course; track events.
Tract
A small booklet such as a pamphlet, often for promotional or informational uses.
Track
Track and field.
Tract
A brief treatise or discourse on a subject.
Track
A rail or set of parallel rails upon which railroad cars or other vehicles run.
Tract
A commentator's view or perspective on a subject.
Track
Tracks The boundary, formerly often delineated by train tracks, that separates two neighborhoods of different social class
Grew up on the wrong side of the tracks.
Tract
Continued or protracted duration, length, extent
Track
Either of the continuous metal belts with which vehicles such as bulldozers and tanks move over the ground.
Tract
(Roman Catholicism) Part of the proper of the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations, used instead of the alleluia during Lenten or pre-Lenten seasons, in a Requiem Mass, and on a few other penitential occasions.
Track
A metal groove or ridge that holds, guides, and reduces friction for a moving device or apparatus.
Tract
(obsolete) Continuity or extension of anything.
Track
Any of several courses of study to which students are assigned according to ability, achievement, or needs
Academic, vocational, and general tracks.
Tract
(obsolete) Traits; features; lineaments.
Track
A distinct path, as along a length of film or magnetic tape, on which sound, images, or other information is recorded.
Tract
(obsolete) The footprint of a wild animal.
Track
A distinct selection from an audio or video recording, usually containing an individual work or part of a larger work
The title track of an album.
Tract
(obsolete) Track; trace.
Track
One of two or more separate recordings that are combined so as to be replayed simultaneously, as in stereophonic sound reproduction
Mixed the vocal track and instrumental track.
Tract
(obsolete) Treatment; exposition.
Track
One of the concentric magnetic rings that form the separate data storage areas on a floppy disk or a hard disk.
Tract
(obsolete) To pursue, follow; to track.
Track
A set of digital data encoded consecutively on an optical disc.
Tract
(obsolete) To draw out; to protract.
Track
Tracks(Slang) Needle marks on the skin from multiple intravenous injections, considered an indication of habitual drug use.
Tract
A written discourse or dissertation, generally of short extent; a short treatise, especially on practical religion.
The church clergy at that time writ the best collection of tracts against popery that ever appeared.
Track
To follow the tracks of; trail
Tracking game through the forest.
Tract
Something drawn out or extended; expanse.
Track
To leave marks made of (dirt or mud, for example) on a surface
The dog tracked mud on the rug.
Tract
A region or quantity of land or water, of indefinite extent; an area; as, an unexplored tract of sea.
A very high mountain joined to the mainland by a narrow tract of earth.
Track
To leave marks on (a floor, for example) when moving or traversing
You're tracking up my nice clean floor!.
Tract
Traits; features; lineaments.
The discovery of a man's self by the tracts of his countenance is a great weakness.
Track
To observe or monitor the course of (an aircraft, for example), as by radar.
Tract
The footprint of a wild beast.
Track
To observe the progress of; follow
Tracking the company's performance daily.
Tract
Track; trace.
Efface all tract of its traduction.
But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forthon,Leaving no tract behind.
Track
To determine or discover the location or origin of
Tracked the money to an offshore account.
Tract
Treatment; exposition.
Track
To equip with a track.
Tract
Continuity or extension of anything; as, the tract of speech.
Track
To assign (a student) to a curricular track.
Tract
Continued or protracted duration; length; extent.
Track
To follow a course; travel
The storm is tracking up the coast.
Tract
Verses of Scripture sung at Mass, instead of the Alleluia, from Septuagesima Sunday till the Saturday befor Easter; - so called because sung tractim, or without a break, by one voice, instead of by many as in the antiphons.
Track
To keep a constant distance apart. Used of a pair of wheels.
Tract
To trace out; to track; also, to draw out; to protact.
Track
To be in alignment
The gears are not tracking properly.
Tract
An extended area of land
Track
To follow the undulations in the groove of a phonograph record. Used of a needle.
Tract
A system of body parts that together serve some particular purpose
Track
To move across magnetic heads. Used of magnetic tape.
Tract
A brief treatise on a subject of interest; published in the form of a booklet
Track
To move in relation to a subject being filmed. Used of a camera or camera crew.
Tract
A bundle of mylenated nerve fibers following a path through the brain
Track
A mark left by something that has passed along.
Follow the track of the ship.
Can you see any tracks in the snow?
Tract
A stretch of land
The tract of desert was barren and expansive.
Track
A mark or impression left by the foot, either of man or animal.
The fox tracks were still visible in the snow.
Tract
A specific part of written works
The tract focused on ethical implications.
Track
The entire lower surface of the foot; said of birds, etc.
Tract
A substantial section
A large tract of forest was cut down.
Track
A road or other similar beaten path.
Follow the track for a hundred metres.
Track
Physical course; way.
Astronomers predicted the track of the comet.
Track
A path or course laid out for a race, for exercise, etc.
The athletes ran round the track.
Track
The direction and progress of someone or something; path.
Track
(railways) The way or rails along which a train moves. Category:en:Rail transportation
They briefly closed the railway to remove debris found on the track.
Track
A tract or area, such as of land.
Track
(slang) The street, as a prostitute's place of work.
Track
Awareness of something, especially when arising from close monitoring.
Track
(automotive) The distance between two opposite wheels on a same axletree.
Track
(automotive) caterpillar track
Track
(cricket) The pitch.
Track
Sound stored on a record.
Track
The physical track on a record.
Track
(music) A song or other relatively short piece of music, on a record, separated from others by a short silence.
My favourite track on the album is "Sunshine".
Track
A circular (never-ending) data storage unit on a side of magnetic or optical disk, divided into sectors.
Track
The racing events of track and field; track and field in general.
I'm going to try out for track next week.
Track
A themed set of talks within a conference.
Track
Clipping of trackshoe
Track
To continue over time.
Track
(transitive) To observe the (measured) state of a person or object over time.
We will track the raven population over the next six months.
Track
(transitive) To monitor the movement of a person or object.
Agent Miles has been tracking the terrorist since Madrid.
Track
(transitive) To match the movement or change of a person or object.
My height tracks my father's at my age, so I might end up as tall as him.
Track
To travel so that a moving object remains in shot.
The camera tracked the ball even as the field of play moved back and forth, keeping the action in shot the entire time.
Track
To move.
The hurricane tracked further west than expected.
Track
(transitive) To traverse; to move across.
Track
(transitive) To tow.
Track
(intransitive) To exhibit good cognitive function.
Is the patient tracking? Does he know where he is?
Track
(transitive) To follow the tracks of.
My uncle spent all day tracking the deer, whose hoofprints were clear in the mud.
Track
(transitive) To discover the location of a person or object by following traces.
I tracked Joe to his friend's bedroom, where he had spent the night.
Track
(transitive) To make tracks on or to leave in the form of tracks.
In winter, my cat tracks mud all over the house.
Track
To create a musical recording (a track).
Lil Kyle is gonna track with that DJ next week.
Track
To create music using tracker software.
Track
To make sense; to be consistent with known information
Track
A mark left by something that has passed along; as, the track, or wake, of a ship; the track of a meteor; the track of a sled or a wheel.
The bright track of his fiery car.
Track
A mark or impression left by the foot, either of man or beast; trace; vestige; footprint.
Far from track of men.
Track
The entire lower surface of the foot; - said of birds, etc.
Track
A road; a beaten path.
Behold Torquatus the same track pursue.
Track
Course; way; as, the track of a comet.
Track
A path or course laid out for a race, for exercise, etc.
Track
The permanent way; the rails.
Track
A tract or area, as of land.
Track
To follow the tracks or traces of; to pursue by following the marks of the feet; to trace; to trail; as, to track a deer in the snow.
It was often found impossible to track the robbers to their retreats among the hills and morasses.
Track
To draw along continuously, as a vessel, by a line, men or animals on shore being the motive power; to tow.
Track
A line or route along which something travels or moves;
The hurricane demolished houses in its path
The track of an animal
The course of the river
Track
Evidence pointing to a possible solution;
The police are following a promising lead
The trail led straight to the perpetrator
Track
A pair of parallel rails providing a runway for wheels
Track
A course over which races are run
Track
A distinct selection of music from a recording or a compact disc;
He played the first cut on the cd
The title track of the album
Track
An endless metal belt on which tracked vehicles move over the ground
Track
(computer science) one of the circular magnetic paths on a magnetic disk that serve as a guide for writing and reading data
Track
A groove on a phonograph recording
Track
A bar or bars of rolled steel making a track along which vehicles can roll
Track
Any road or path affording passage especially a rough one
Track
The act of participating in an athletic competition involving running on a track
Track
Carry on the feet and deposit;
Track mud into the house
Track
Observe or plot the moving path of something;
Track a missile
Track
Go after with the intent to catch;
The policeman chased the mugger down the alley
The dog chased the rabbit
Track
Travel across or pass over;
The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day
Track
Make tracks upon
Track
Following something
Detectives track the suspect's moves.
Track
A general course or path
The hurricane is on a destructive track.
Common Curiosities
Does "tract" imply a large area of land?
Yes, "tract" typically references a sizable expanse of land.
Can "track" refer to a path?
Yes, "track" can indicate a specific path or course.
Does "tract" reference physical and written sections?
Yes, "tract" may refer to areas of land or segments of written work.
Can "track" be both a noun and a verb?
Yes, "track" can be a pathway (noun) or the act of following (verb).
Can "tract" be used as a verb?
No, "tract" is not commonly used as a verb.
Can "track" denote following something?
Yes, "track" can mean monitoring or following progress or movement.
Is "track" used in a musical context?
Yes, "track" can refer to a recorded piece of music.
Can "track" refer to a general direction?
Yes, "track" can imply a general course or direction, like tracking a storm.
Does "track" imply a prepared path?
Often yes, "track" may refer to a prepared or designated path.
Can "tract" denote a part of a pamphlet?
Yes, "tract" can refer to a section of written work, like pamphlets.
Can "track" mean to physically follow something?
Yes, "track" implies following or monitoring a path or progression.
Is "tract" solely about physical spaces?
No, "tract" can also pertain to segments within written works.
Is "tract" applicable in an anatomical context?
Yes, "tract" can refer to sections of bodily systems, like the digestive tract.
Is "tract" related to anatomical sections?
Yes, "tract" can denote parts of systems within the body.
Can "track" infer a recording?
Yes, "track" commonly refers to recorded music segments.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
