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

But he described the rental house as “somewhat transient.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Like many countries, Spain's government is also concerned about how short-term holiday lets can change a neighbourhood, fuelled by a transient population of holiday-goers.

From BBC

The facade represents common interests, transient and constantly remodeled.

From The Wall Street Journal

He suggests concerns over AI spending that have gripped the market lately are transient.

From Barron's

"I never asked for too much money, and fame is transient. All I ever wanted was people's love," he told an interviewer.

From BBC

Related Words

• ephemeral
• fleeting
• short-term
• transitory