transfer

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UK/tɹɑːnsˈfɜː/UK/tɹænsˈfɜː/US/tɹænsˈfɚ/US/ˈtɹæns.fɚ/

verb

To move or pass from one place, person or thing to another.

“transfer to the Blue Line”

Very commonScrabble 11

Meanings

verbtransfer (third-person singular simple present transfers, present participle transferring, simple past and past participle transferred)

present singular third person transfers · participle present transferring · participle past transferred · past transferred · first person past singular transferred · archaic present second person singular transferrest · past second person singular transferred · archaic past second person singular transferredst · present singular third person transfers · archaic present singular third person transferreth · past singular third person transferred · past plural transferred · past subjunctive transferred · participle present transferring · participle past transferred · alternative xfer

  1. transitiveTo move or pass from one place, person or thing to another.

    to transfer the laws of one country to another; to transfer suspicion

    Synonyms: carry over, move, onpass

  2. transitiveTo convey the impression of (something) from one surface to another.

    to transfer drawings or engravings to a lithographic stone

    Synonyms: copy, transpose

  3. transportTo exit one mass transit vehicle and board another (typically one belonging to a different line or mode of transportation) to continue a journey.

    transfer to the Blue Line

  4. intransitiveTo be or become transferred.
  5. transitivelawTo arrange for something to belong to or be officially controlled by somebody else.

    The title to land is transferred by deed.

  6. transitivehuman sciencesTo 'carry' or apply anything (a concept, a name...) from one type of thing to a different type of thing.

    The ancient Romans named the planet Mars by transferring that name from a deity of their pantheon to the planet appearing in the night sky.

  7. intransitiveTo move from a wheelchair to another seating surface, or to a wheelchair from another seating surface.
nountransfer (countable and uncountable, plural transfers)

plural transfers · alternative xfer

  1. uncountableThe act of conveying or removing something from one place, person or thing to another.
  2. countableAn instance of conveying or removing from one place, person or thing to another; a transferal.

    A farmer could place an order for a new tractor part by text message and pay for it by mobile money-transfer. A supplier many miles away would then take the part to the local matternet station for airborne dispatch via drone.

    2012 December 1, “An internet of airborne things”, in The Economist, volume 405, number 8813, page 3 (Technology Quarterly)
  3. countabletransportAn act of exiting one mass transit vehicle and boarding another (typically one belonging to a different line or mode of transportation) to continue a journey.

    Free transfers can be made between the Red and Orange Lines by walking from one of the station's platforms to another; in addition, riders using a fare card also get free transfers between bus and subway at the station.

  4. countabletransportA paper receipt given to a rider of one bus (and historically also certain elevated or subway lines), allowing free entry onto another bus to continue a journey.
  5. countableA design conveyed by contact from one surface to another; a heat transfer.

    All passenger stock is lettered in shaded gold leaf transfers and has never been decorated with either a crest or monogram.

    1956 May, D. B. McNeill, “The Sligo, Leitrim & Northern Counties Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 336
  6. countableuncountableA soldier removed from one troop, or body of troops, and placed in another.
  7. countableuncountablemedicineA pathological process by which a unilateral morbid condition on being abolished on one side of the body makes its appearance in the corresponding region upon the other side.
  8. countableuncountablebiologyThe conveying of genetic material from one cell to another.
  9. countableuncountablebridgeA conventional bid which requests partner to bid the next available suit.
  10. countableuncountablehobbiesA person who transfers or is transferred from one club or team to another.

    Synonyms: transfer student

  11. CanadaUSabbreviationcountableellipsisuncountablevarsity sportsEllipsis of transfer student.
  12. countableOf a person with limited mobility: an instance of independent or assisted movement from one stable surface to another.

    Understanding car transfers and [wheelchair] loading in independent drivers is crucial to prevent shoulder pain and injury and preserve community participation.

    2015, Lisa Lighthall Haubert, et al, “Car transfer and wheelchair loading techniques in independent drivers with paraplegia”, in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
    1 more example

    Transfers and bed mobility are a normal part of our daily activities. Going from lying down to sitting edge of bed, rolling, getting in/out of bed, sitting and standing from bed/chairs and toilet are all examples of transfers and bed mobility.

    2018, Bed Mobility and Transfers (PDF), Pioneer Network
  13. abbreviationellipsisuncountablehuman sciencesEllipsis of language transfer.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo move or pass from one place, person or thing to another.

verbTo convey the impression of (something) from one surface to another.

nounA person who transfers or is transferred from one club or team to another.

Narrower

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe act of moving something from one location to another

Broader

nounsomeone who transfers or is transferred from one position to another

Similar

nounthe act of transferring something from one form to another

nounapplication of a skill learned in one situation to a different but similar situation

Similar
transfer of trainingcarry-over

nountransferring ownership

verbtransfer somebody to a different position or location of work

Similar

verblift and reset in another soil or situation

Similar
Broader

verbmove around

Similar

verbchange from one vehicle or transportation line to another

Similar

verbsend from one person or place to another

verbshift the position or location of, as for business, legal, educational, or military purposes

Similar

verbtransfer from one place or period to another

Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*terh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*térh₂t
  3. Proto-Indo-European*tr̥h₂ónts
  4. Proto-Indo-European*tr̥h₂n̥ts
  5. Proto-Italic*trāns
  6. Proto-Italic*trāns-
  7. Latintrāns-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*bʰer-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéreti
  10. Proto-Italic*ferō
  11. Latinferō
  12. Latintrānsferō
  13. Englishtransfer

From Latin trānsferō (“to bear across”). Distant doublet of translate. See also collate and confer, delate and defer, as well as prelate and prefer among others.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek μεταφέρω, μεταβίβασις
  • μεταφέρω (metaphérō)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • μεταβίβασις (metabíbasis)act
  • παράδοσις (parádosis)act
Arabic حَوَّلَ, اِنْتِقَال
  • حَوَّلَ (ḥawwala)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • اِنْتِقَال (intiqāl)act
Bulgarian премествам, пренасям
  • премествам (premestvam)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • пренасям (prenasjam)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • пренасям (prenasjam)to convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • премествам се (premestvam se)to be or become transferred
  • пренасям се (prenasjam se)to be or become transferred
  • прехвърлям (prehvărljam)arrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • прехвъ́рляне (prehvắrljane)design
  • прехвъ́рляне (prehvắrljane)act
  • прена́сяне (prenásjane)act
  • преда́ване (predávane)instance
Catalan traslladar
  • traslladarto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
Chinese Mandarin 转移, 移動 /移动
  • 转移 (zhuǎnyí)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • 移動 /移动 (yídòng)act
  • 移轉 /移转 (yízhuǎn)act
  • 調動 /调动 (diàodòng)act
Czech přenést, převézt
  • přenéstto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • převéztto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • přenéstto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • přenést seto be or become transferred
  • převézt seto be or become transferred
  • přepsatarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • přenosact
  • převodact
Danish overføre, forflytte
  • overføreto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • forflytteto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • overdrageto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • blive forflyttetto be or become transferred
  • stige omto be or become transferred
  • skifteto be or become transferred
  • forflyttelseact
  • overflytningact
  • transportact
  • flytninginstance
  • overflytninginstance
  • transportinstance
Dutch overplaatsen, verplaatsen
  • overplaatsento move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • verplaatsento move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
Esperanto translokigi, translokiĝi
  • translokigito move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • translokiĝito be or become transferred
  • delokigoact
Finnish siirtää, siirtää
  • siirtääto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • siirtääto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • siirtyäto be or become transferred
  • siirtääarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • siirtokuvadesign
  • siirtoact
  • siirtoinstance
French transférer, transfert
  • transférerto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • transfertgenetics
  • transfertact
German übertragen, versetzen
  • übertragento move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • versetzento be or become transferred
  • Übertragungact
  • Versetzungact
  • Überweisungact
Greek μετακινώ, μεταφέρω
  • μετακινώ (metakinó)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • μεταφέρω (metaféro)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • μεταθέτω (metathéto)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • μεταθέτω (metathéto)to convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • μεταβιβάζω (metavivázo)to convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • μεταφέρομαι (metaféromai)to be or become transferred
  • μετακινούμαι (metakinoúmai)to be or become transferred
  • μετατίθομαι (metatíthomai)to be or become transferred
  • μεταβιβάζομαι (metavivázomai)to be or become transferred
  • μεταποτύπωση (metapotýposi)design
  • χαλκομανία (chalkomanía)design
  • μεταφορά (metaforá)act
  • μεταβίβαση (metavívasi)act
  • παράδοση (parádosi)act
Hindi स्थानांतरण, हस्तांतरण
  • स्थानांतरण (sthānāntraṇ)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • हस्तांतरण (hastāntraṇ)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • स्थानांतरण (sthānāntraṇ)act
Hungarian átvisz, áttesz
  • átviszto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • átteszto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • átszállítto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • áthelyezto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • átviszto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • átnyomto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • átmásolto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • áthurcolkodikto be or become transferred
  • átköltözikto be or become transferred
  • átmegyto be or become transferred
  • átruházarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • áthelyezésact
  • áthelyezésinstance
  • átvitelinstance
  • átutalásinstance
Irish aistreog
  • aistreogdesign
Italian trasferire, decalcare
  • trasferireto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • decalcareto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • ricalcareto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • trasferirsito be or become transferred
  • trasferirearrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • passarearrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • conferirearrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • transfezionegenetics
  • trasfezionegenetics
  • trasferimentoact
  • trasferimento bancarioinstance
  • bonificoinstance
Japanese 移す, 運ぶ
  • 移す (utsusu)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • 運ぶ (hakobu)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • 乗り換える (norikaeru)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • 移動 (idō)act
  • 転勤 (tenkin)act
Korean 옮기다, 환승
  • 옮기다 (omgida)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • 환승 (hwanseung)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • 이동 (idong)act
  • 전근 (jeon'geun)act
Latin trānsferō, trānsmoveō
  • trānsferōto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • trānsmoveōto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
Malay tukar
  • tukarto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
Māori whakawhiti, whakanekeneke
  • whakawhitito move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • whakanekeneketo move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • whakawhitiangaact
Norwegian Bokmål overdragelse
  • overdragelseinstance
Polish przenosić, przenieść
  • przenosićto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • przenieśćto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • przenosićto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • przenieśćto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • przenosić sięto be or become transferred
  • przenieść sięto be or become transferred
  • przenosićarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • przenieśćarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • przepisywaćarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • przepisaćarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • przenoszenieact
  • przeniesienieinstance
Portuguese transferir, transferir
  • transferirto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • transferirto be or become transferred
  • transferênciadesign
  • transferênciagenetics
  • transferênciaact
Romanian transfera, transfera
  • transferato move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • transferato be or become transferred
Russian переноси́ть, перенести́
  • переноси́ть (perenosítʹ)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • перенести́ (perenestí)to move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • перехо́д (perexód)act
  • перево́д (perevód)act
  • трансфе́рт (transfért)act
  • переда́ча (peredáča)act
  • перехо́д (perexód)instance
Scottish Gaelic thoir thairis
  • thoir thairisarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
Slovak presunúť, preniesť
  • presunúťto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • preniesťto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • previesťto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • preniesťto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • odtlačiťto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • otlačiťto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • preniesť sato be or become transferred
  • presunúť sato be or become transferred
  • premiestniť sato be or become transferred
  • previesťarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • prepísaťarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
  • prenosact
  • prevodact
Spanish transferir, trasladar
  • transferirto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • trasladarto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • calcarto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • imprimirto convey the impression of something from one surface to another
  • transferirto be or become transferred
  • calcodesign
  • impresodesign
  • transferenciagenetics
  • transferenciaact
Swedish överföra
  • överförato move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
Tagalog lipat
  • lipatto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
Thai ถ่ายโอน
  • ถ่ายโอนto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
Turkish transfer etmek, aktarmak
  • transfer etmekto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • aktarmakto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • yollamakto move or pass from one place, person or thing to another
  • dizayndesign
  • genetikgenetics
  • transferact
  • iletmeact
  • etkininstance
Ukrainian переда́ча
  • переда́ча (peredáča)act
Vietnamese sang tên
  • sang tênarrange for something to belong to or be controlled by somebody else
Cite this entry
APA

transfer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transfer

MLA

“transfer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transfer. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “transfer,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transfer.

Source: transfer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.