transient

American  

[tran-shuhnt, -zhuhnt, -zee-uhnt] / ˈtræn ʃənt, -ʒənt, -zi ənt /

adjective

1. not lasting, enduring, or permanent; transitory.

2. lasting only a short time; existing briefly; temporary.

   transient authority.

   Synonyms:

   evanescent, fugitive, flying, fleeting

   Antonyms:

   permanent

3. staying only a short time.

   the transient guests at a hotel.

4. Philosophy. transeunt.

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noun

1. a person or thing that is transient, especially a temporary guest, boarder, laborer, or the like.

2. Mathematics.

   1. a function that tends to zero as the independent variable tends to infinity.

   2. a solution, especially of a differential equation, having this property.

3. Physics.

   1. a nonperiodic signal of short duration.

   2. a decaying signal, wave, or oscillation.

4. Electricity. a sudden pulse of voltage or current.

transient British  

/ ˈtrænzɪənt /

adjective

1. for a short time only; temporary or transitory

2. philosophy a variant of transeunt

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noun

1. a transient person or thing

2. physics a brief change in the state of a system, such as a sudden short-lived oscillation in the current flowing through a circuit

Related Words

See temporary.

Other Word Forms

• nontransient adjective
• nontransiently adverb
• nontransientness noun
• transience noun
• transiently adverb
• transientness noun
• untransient adjective
• untransiently adverb
• untransientness noun

Etymology

Origin of transient

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin trānsiēns “going across,” present participle of trānsīre “to go across, pass over”; transit

Example Sentences

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

From BBC

The presumption that Dubai is a transient mirage, a Hollywood set built on sand that would unravel once the going gets tough, was no doubt shared in Tehran.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cars with manually shifted transmissions are less efficient, with higher consumption and transient emissions.

From The Wall Street Journal

The room, with its cracks and peeling paint in sharp focus, is more certifiably there than the vague, transient human figure.

From The Wall Street Journal

Chief Executive Officer Anthony Capuano said solid leisure transient and cross-border travel supported international trends, while U.S. and Canada travel trends were hurt by the extended U.S. government shutdown.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ephemeral
• fleeting
• short-term
• transitory