tractée

Tractée is the feminine past participle of the French verb tracter, used as an adjective meaning pulled or towed. It agrees with feminine nouns (the masculine form is tracté). In practice, the term is most often found in technical, agricultural, and automotive contexts to designate equipment that is drawn by another machine rather than self-propelled.

Etymology and usage notes: tracter derives from Latin tractus, via Old French and later French development. The form tractée signals feminine agreement and is commonly used in compound expressions such as machine tractée, engin tracté, or véhicule tracté. It is contrasted with autopropulsé, meaning self-propelled.

Contexts and examples: the term is widely used to describe agricultural and industrial equipment that is towed, for example a moissonneuse-batteuse tractée (a towed combine harvester) or a herse rotative tractée. In automotive or transport contexts, one may speak of un véhicule tracté (a vehicle that is towed) or a remorque tractée (a trailer that is hauled by another vehicle). The distinction between tractée and autopropulsée is common in catalogs and manuals to indicate whether a machine requires a separate power source.

See also: tracter, traction, tractionnée. Related terms include véhicule tracté versus véhicule autopropulsé, and the masculine form tracté, which is used when the noun is masculine.