1580s, "agreed upon," also (c. 1600) "shrunken, shortened," past-participle adjective from contract (v.). Figuratively, "limited in extent, narrow, restricted," 1710. Related: Contractedness. Earlier as an adjective was simply contract (late 14c.), from Latin contractus.

[area], mid-15c., "extent, continued passage or duration," in phrase tract of time "period or lapse of time" (now obsolete), from Latin tractus "course, progress, movement, a train or course, a space drawn out, duration," etymologically "a drawing out or pulling," from stem of trahere "to pull, draw." This is said [Watkins] to be from a PIE root *tragh- "to draw, drag, move" (source also of Slovenian trag "trace, track," Middle Irish tragud "ebb;" perhaps with a variant form *dhragh-; see drag (v.)). Compare trait and trace (n.1).

The meaning "territory, region of indefinite extent, stretch of land or water" in English is recorded by 1550s. Latin tractus also had a sense of "territory, district, region of land." The specific U.S. sense of "plot of land for development" is recorded from 1912; tract housing is attested by 1953.

Also by 1680s in anatomy, in reference to regions of the body having particular functions (digestive, respiratory, etc.).

"arising from a contract or agreement," 1827, from Latin contractus "a drawing together," in Late Latin "a contract" (see contract (n.)) + -al (1).

"contraction," especially of the muscles, 1650s, from French contracture, from Latin contractura "a drawing together," from contract-, past-participle stem of contrahere "to draw several objects together; draw in, shorten, lessen, abridge," metaphorically "make a bargain, make an agreement" (see contract (n.)). Related: Contractural.

also sub-contract, "contract for carrying out all or part of a previous contract," 1817, from sub- + contract (n.).

As a verb from 1828 in this sense ("make a contract under a previous contract"); in Shakespeare it means "be betrothed again." Related: Subcontracted; subcontracting.

word-forming element meaning "together, with," sometimes merely intensive; it is the form of com- used in Latin before consonants except -b-, -p-, -l-, -m-, or -r-. In native English formations (such as costar), co- tends to be used where Latin would use con-.