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Webster 1913 Edition

Transient

Tran′sient

,
Adj.
[L.
transiens
,
-entis
, p. pr. of
transire
,
transitum
, to go or pass over. See
Trance
.]
1.
Passing before the sight or perception, or, as it were, moving over or across a space or scene viewed, and then disappearing; hence, of short duration; not permanent; not lasting or durable; not stationary; passing; fleeting; brief; transitory;
as,
transient
pleasure
.
“Measured this transient world.”
Milton.
2.
Hasty; momentary; imperfect; brief;
as, a
transient
view of a landscape
.
3.
Staying for a short time; not regular or permanent;
as, a
transient
guest;
transient
boarders
.
[Colloq. U. S.]
Syn. –
Transient
,
Transitory
,
Fleeting
.
Transient represents a thing as brief at the best; transitory, as liable at any moment to pass away. Fleeting goes further, and represents it as in the act of taking its flight. Life is transient; its joys are transitory; its hours are fleeting.
What is loose love? A
transient
gust.
Pope
If [we love]
transitory
things, which soon decay,
Age must be loveliest at the latest day.
Donne.
O
fleeting
joys
Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes.
Milton.
–
Tran′sient-ly
(#)
,
adv.
–
Tran′sient-ness
,
Noun.

Tran′sient

,
Noun.
That which remains but for a brief time.
Glanvill.

Webster 1828 Edition

Transient

TRANSIENT

,
Adj.
tran'shent. [L. transiens, transeo; trans and eo.]
1.
Passing; not stationary; hence, of short duration; not permanent; not lasting or durable. How transient are the pleasures of this life!
--Measur'd this transient world.
2.
Hasty; momentary; imperfect; as a transient view of a landscape.
Transient person, a person that is passing or traveling through a place; one without a settled habitation.

Definition 2024

transient

transient

English

Adjective

transient ‎(comparative more transient, superlative most transient)

  1. Passing or disappearing with time; transitory.
    a transient pleasure
    • Milton
      this transient world
  2. Remaining for only a brief time.
    a transient view of a landscape
  3. (physics) Decaying with time, especially exponentially.
  4. (mathematics, stochastic processes, of a state) having a positive probability of being left and never being visited again.
  5. Occasional; isolated; one-off; individual.
  6. Passing through; passing from one person to another.
  7. (philosophy) Operating beyond itself; having an external effect.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

transient ‎(plural transients)

  1. Something which is transient.
  2. (physics) A transient phenomenon, especially an electric current; a very brief surge.
  3. (acoustics) A relatively loud, non-repeating signal in an audio waveform which occurs very quickly, such as the attack of a snare drum.
  4. A person who passes through a place for a short time; a traveller; a migrant worker
    • 1996, Janette Turner Hospital, Oyster, Virago Press, paperback edition, page 3
      Then, within the space of a few months, there were more transients than there were locals, and the imbalance seemed morally wrong.
  5. An unhoused person

Synonyms

Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From stem of Latin transiens, present participle of transire ‎(“to go over, to pass”)

Pronunciation

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