French word

trafic

Pronunciation

IPA/tʁafik/

Meaning

  • masculine nountraffic

Example

Le trafic est dense sur l'autoroute.

Traffic is heavy on the highway.

Illustration for trafic (traffic)

More examples

Le trafic aérien a été retardé par la tempête.

Air traffic was delayed by the storm.

Core concept

People, vehicles, or goods pass continuously through a route, whether the route is public and visible or clandestine.

Common phrases

  • trafic routier

    road traffic

  • trafic aérien

    air traffic

  • trafic de données

    data traffic

Similar words

circulation: The ongoing flow of vehicles and pedestrians along a road.
embouteillage: A traffic jam that severely slows vehicles over a long stretch of road.

Definition in French

Mouvement et circulation de véhicules ou de personnes sur des voies publiques ; emploi secondaire pour désigner un commerce clandestin organisé.

Word origin

The French noun trafic derives from Italian traffico and is linked to trafficare, meaning to trade or exchange, before acquiring broader movement-related uses.

Usage tips

  • French trafic is spelled with one f, although its English counterpart traffic has two, and the final c is pronounced.

Other meanings

  • drug traffickingnoun
  • black-market tradenoun

Related words

Word lists with this word