a surveying instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles, consisting of a small telescope mounted on a tripod
"The surveyor carefully adjusted the transit to ensure the building's foundation was perfectly level before taking measurements."
a facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers or goods
"The new transit center has been upgraded to handle increased passenger traffic during rush hour."
The act of passing over, across, or through something.
"The delivery driver arrived in his battered Ford Transit to drop off the packages."
a Ford Transit van.
In plain English: Transit is the act of moving from one place to another, usually by public transportation.
"The new subway line will greatly improve transit for commuters in the city."
make a passage or journey from one place to another
"The tourists moved through the town and bought up all the souvenirs"
"Some travelers pass through the desert"
pass across (a sign or house of the zodiac) or pass across (the disk of a celestial body or the meridian of a place)
"The comet will transit on September 11"
revolve (the telescope of a surveying transit) about its horizontal transverse axis in order to reverse its direction
"The surveyor adjusted the transit so that it could rotate horizontally, allowing him to sight both forward and backward along the same line."
To pass over, across or through something.
"The train will transit the tunnel in just a few minutes before emerging back into the city lights."
In plain English: To transit means to move from one place to another, usually by using public transportation.
"We will take the bus to transit through the city center during rush hour."
Usage: Use transit as an intransitive verb to describe moving from one place to another without specifying the method of travel. Avoid using it when you need to name the specific vehicle used, such as taking a bus or train.
The word transit comes from the French language and ultimately traces back to the Latin verb transire, meaning "to go across" or "pass through." It is formed by combining trans ("over") with ire ("to go"), reflecting its original sense of crossing over something.