transfer
trahns-FUR
Transfer (verb) means to move something from one place, person, or thing to another. Example: “Please transfer the funds to my savings account.”
verb
1
To move something from one place, person, or thing to another.
"Please transfer the funds to my savings account."
"He transferred to a different school last year."
"We need to transfer the photos from my phone to the laptop."
noun
1
An instance of moving something, or a ticket allowing a change between transportation services.
"The bus transfer let her switch lines without paying again."
"The transfer from the airport to the hotel took about an hour."
"Ask the driver for a transfer when you board, and you can change buses free."
How to use transfer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo move something (money, a person, data) from one place to another.
Common pairings
bank transfer
transfer of ownership
transfer window
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- transfers
- Past tense
- transferred
- Archaic forms
- transferrest, transferredst, transferreth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Please _____ the funds to my savings account.
Etymology
From Latin "transferre" — "to carry across" — from "trans-" plus "ferre" ("to carry"). A distant relative of "translate."
Synonyms
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move
shift
relocate
pass
hand over
carry
reassign
conveyance
transferral
transferee
transference
transport
Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “transfer” mean?
The word “transfer” means to move something from one place, person, or thing to another. In plain terms, to move something (money, a person, data) from one place to another.
How do you pronounce “transfer”?
“Transfer” is pronounced trahns-FUR (/tɹænsˈfɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “transfer” in a sentence?
Here is “transfer” used in a sentence: “Please transfer the funds to my savings account.”
What is another word for “transfer”?
Words with a similar meaning to “transfer” include abalienate, alien, alienate, assign, change hands and consign.
What part of speech is “transfer”?
Depending on how it is used, “transfer” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “transfer” come from?
The word “transfer” comes from Latin. From Latin "transferre" — "to carry across" — from "trans-" plus "ferre" ("to carry"). A distant relative of "translate.".
Is “transfer” a common word?
“Transfer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “transfer” have?
“Transfer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to move something from one place, person, or thing to another.
What is the difference between transfer and transmit?
Both involve moving something, but transfer is broad — money, people, or objects moved from one place to another. Transmit is narrower, meaning to send signals, data, or energy across a distance, as with radio, electricity, or disease. You transfer a file; a station transmits a broadcast.
What is an example of transfer?
Moving money between bank accounts, changing from one train to another, relocating an employee to a new office, or copying files to a different computer are all transfers. In each case, something is moved from one place, person, or system to another — which is exactly what the verb describes.
What are the types of transfer?
Common kinds include money or bank transfers, data and file transfers, and transfers of people — an employee moving office or a player moving clubs. There are also transfers of ownership, rights, or property, where legal control passes from one party to another rather than a physical object.
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