ticket
TIHK-iht
Ticket (noun) means a small printed or digital pass that allows entry to an event, or travel on transport. Example: “I booked two tickets for the Saturday show.”
noun
1
A small printed or digital pass that allows entry to an event, or travel on transport.
"I booked two tickets for the Saturday show."
"Have your ticket ready before boarding the train."
"She lost her ticket and had to buy another at the gate."
2
A written notice of a traffic or parking violation.
"He got a ticket for parking in a loading zone."
"I found a parking ticket tucked under my windscreen wiper this morning."
"Drivers who ignore the signs risk getting a ticket from the warden."
verb
1
To issue someone an official notice for a violation, or to give them a pass for travel or entry.
"The officer ticketed the car for expired registration."
"The clerk ticketed each passenger before they walked onto the platform."
"Wardens ticket any vehicle left on the double yellow lines."
How to use ticket
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA pass proving you've paid to attend or travel somewhere, or, separately, a fine notice for breaking a traffic rule.
Common pairings
buy a ticket
a parking ticket
ticket price
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like ticket.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- tickets
- Third person singular
- tickets
- Past tense
- ticketed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I booked two _____ for the Saturday show.
Etymology
From an old French word related to "stick" or "attach" — tickets were originally small notices affixed to something. It shares this root with "etiquette."
Related words
Rhymes for ticket
See all rhymes for ticket →Frequently asked questions
What does “ticket” mean?
The word “ticket” means a small printed or digital pass that allows entry to an event, or travel on transport. In plain terms, a pass proving you've paid to attend or travel somewhere, or, separately, a fine notice for breaking a traffic rule.
How do you pronounce “ticket”?
“Ticket” is pronounced TIHK-iht (/ˈtɪk.ɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “ticket” in a sentence?
Here is “ticket” used in a sentence: “I booked two tickets for the Saturday show.”
What part of speech is “ticket”?
Depending on how it is used, “ticket” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “ticket” come from?
The word “ticket” comes from Old French. From an old French word related to "stick" or "attach" — tickets were originally small notices affixed to something. It shares this root with "etiquette.".
Is “ticket” a common word?
“Ticket” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “ticket” have?
“Ticket” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small printed or digital pass that allows entry to an event, or travel on transport.
What is the difference between a ticket and a pass?
A ticket usually grants a single, specific entry or journey — one show, one train ride — and is often scanned or surrendered once. A pass tends to allow repeated or ongoing access over a period, such as a season pass or travel pass. In short, a ticket is typically single-use, a pass multi-use.
What are the types of ticket?
Common kinds include event tickets for concerts, cinema, and sport; travel tickets for buses, trains, and flights; and admission tickets for museums or attractions. Tickets may be single or return, printed or digital. The word also stretches to items like raffle tickets and parking tickets, though those work differently.
Can a ticket be digital?
Yes. Modern tickets are often e-tickets or mobile tickets stored on a phone, shown as a barcode or QR code and scanned at the gate. They grant the same entry or travel as a printed one without the paper, and many events and transport systems now issue digital tickets by default.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include ticket:
