1. a copy of a drawing or map made by drawing over its lines on a transparent sheet
2. the action or process of finding or discovering someone or something by investigation
3. the action of copying a drawing by drawing over its lines

1. present participle of trace

Examples

• She made a tracing of the old map to preserve the original.
• The detective began tracing the suspect’s movements through the city.
• The artist was tracing the outline of the flower onto paper.
• Police are tracing the source of the anonymous phone calls.
• The tracing paper allowed her to copy the design perfectly.
• He spent hours tracing his family’s genealogy back three generations.
• The child enjoyed tracing letters in the workbook.