English → Latin
“trace, track” in Latin
investīgōto track or trace out, search after; to discover, investigate, search intoindāgōto track, trace, hunt by tracking; to explore, investigate, search intoodōrorto smell, examine by smelling; to search out, trace out, investigate
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
trace, track v.
aliquem vestigiis sequi (☞ Cic. says alicujus vestigiis persequi, for “to tread in the footsteps of anybody,” = to imitate, follow): investigare, presso vestigio persequi aliquem or aliquid (to trace out): indagare, odorari. (The words are found in this connection and order.) indagare et odorari (to follow by the scent); odorari et vestigare (all PROP. and figuratively). To trace a deer, ex vestigiis animadvertere, quo cervus se receperit.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for trace, track?
- The usual Latin words for “trace, track” are investīgō, indāgō, odōror. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.