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The Latin word tractus "drawing," from which trace is derived, passed into Old French as trait "pulling, draft," hence "harness strap." English trait derives from this. The French plural trais was borrowed into English in the 14th century as trace "harness strap." It also formed the basis of a Vulgar Latin verb that evolved into Old French tracier, from which English in the 14th century got the verb trace. A noun trace was also derived from tracier, and this too was acquired by English as trace, in the 13th century. At first it denoted a "path" or "track"; the modern sense "remaining sign" did not develop until the 17th century.
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