What does transient mean?

Definitions for transient
ˈtræn ʃənt, -ʒənt, -zi ənttran·sient

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word transient.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. transientnoun

    one who stays for only a short time

    "transient laborers"

  2. transientadjective

    (physics) a short-lived oscillation in a system caused by a sudden change of voltage or current or load

  3. transeunt, transientadjective

    of a mental act; causing effects outside the mind

  4. ephemeral, passing, short-lived, transient, transitory, fugaciousadjective

    lasting a very short time

    "the ephemeral joys of childhood"; "a passing fancy"; "youth's transient beauty"; "love is transitory but it is eternal"; "fugacious blossoms"

Wiktionary

  1. transientnoun

    Something which is transient.

  2. transientnoun

    A transient phenomenon, especially an electric current; a very brief surge.

  3. transientnoun

    A relatively loud, non-repeating signal in an audio waveform which occurs very quickly, such as the attack of a snare drum.

  4. transientnoun

    A person who passes through a place for a short time; a traveller; a migrant worker

  5. transientnoun

    An unhoused person

  6. transientadjective

    Passing or disappearing with time; transitory.

  7. transientadjective

    Remaining for only a brief time.

  8. transientadjective

    Decaying with time, especially exponentially.

  9. transientadjective

    having a positive probability of being left and never being visited again.

  10. transientadjective

    Occasional; isolated; one-off; individual.

  11. transientadjective

    Passing through; passing from one person to another.

  12. transientadjective

    Operating beyond itself; having an external effect.

  13. Etymology: From stem of transiens, present participle of transeo

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. TRANSIENTadjective

    Soon past; soon passing; short; momentary; not lasting; not durable.

    Etymology: transiens, Lat.

    How soon hath thy prediction, seer blest!
    Measur’d this transient world, the race of time,
    Till time stand fix’d. John Milton.

    He that rides post through a country, may, from the transient view, tell how in general the parts lie. John Locke.

    Love hitherto a transient guest,
    Ne’er held possession in his breast. Jonathan Swift.

    What is loose love? a transient gust,
    A vapour fed from wild desire. Alexander Pope.

ChatGPT

  1. transient

    Transient refers to something that lasts for only a short period of time, is temporary or has a brief existence before eventually disappearing or changing. The term can be used in various contexts such as physics, mathematics, technology, and more to describe a phenomenon or state that is fleeting or not permanent.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Transientadjective

    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

  2. Transientadjective

    hasty; momentary; imperfect; brief; as, a transient view of a landscape

  3. Transientadjective

    staying for a short time; not regular or permanent; as, a transient guest; transient boarders

  4. Transientnoun

    that which remains but for a brief time

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Transient

    tran′shent, adj. passing: of short duration: not lasting: momentary: (mus.) intermediate.—ns. Tran′sience, Tran′siency, transientness.—adv. Tran′siently.—n. Tran′sientness. [L. transienstrans, across, īre, itum, to go.]

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

  1. transient

    1. Personnel, ships, or craft stopping temporarily at a post, station, or port to which they are not assigned or attached, and having destination elsewhere. 2. An independent merchant ship calling at a port and sailing within 12 hours, and for which routing instructions to a further port have been promulgated. 3. An individual awaiting orders, transport, etc., at a post or station to which he or she is not attached or assigned.

Suggested Resources

  1. transient

    Song lyrics by transient -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by transient on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

Anagrams for transient »

  1. instanter

  2. intranets

How to pronounce transient?

How to say transient in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of transient in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of transient in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of transient in a Sentence

  1. Stephanie Faubion:

    We used to think of hot flashes as transient and benign, but we're finding out now that they're neither.

  2. Andrew Trites:

    In the same way that when the distinction [ was ] made between Southern Resident killer whales, that shaped the understanding of their needs in terms of conservation or threats they faced, if indeed there are two distinct related populations of transient killer whales, they presently have different needs as well.

  3. Professor Hakan Kayal:

    The so-called transient lunar phenomena have been known since the 1950s, but they have not been sufficiently systematically and long-term observed.

  4. Hao Hong:

    But even if a technical reprieve could be in store, potential USD strength and mild market sentiment despite a significant plunge suggest any oversold relief will be transient, and fraught with bouts of volatility, hence, it will be very difficult to trade.

  5. Andrew Bernstein:

    For the first time in history, the rational and the good are fully armed in the battle against evil. Here we finally find the answer to our paradox; now we can understand the nature of the social power held by evil. Ultimately, the evil, the irrational, truly has no power. The evil men’s control of morality is transient; it lives on borrowed time made possible only by the errors of the good. In time, as more honest men grasp the truth, evil’s stranglehold will be easily broken.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

transient#10000#12548#100000

Translations for transient

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • عابرArabic
  • vergänglich, kurzlebig, transientGerman
  • παροδική, παροδικόςGreek
  • transeunte, trotamundo, transitorioSpanish
  • گذراPersian
  • ohimenevä, lyhytaikainen, katoavainen, katoava, häipyvä, hetkellinenFinnish
  • bref, clochard, sans-abri, temporaire, provisoire, fugace, transitoire, éphémère, clodo, itinérant, SDF, passagerFrench
  • חולףHebrew
  • transitorioItalian
  • ホームレス, 瞬間的, 一時的なもの, 儚い, 過渡現象, 一時的, 過渡, 渡り労働者, 精神の外部Japanese
  • tūao, rangitahiMāori
  • eindig, vergankelijkDutch
  • transitórioPortuguese
  • tranzitoriu, efemer, trecător, tranzientRomanian
  • мимолётный, транзиторный, преходящий, случайный, отдельный, недолговечный, временный, скоротечный, кратковременныйRussian
  • kortvarig, övergående, förgänglig, flyktigSwedish
  • நிலையற்றTamil
  • 短暫的Chinese

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"transient." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 13 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/transient>.

Discuss these transient definitions with the community:

1 Comment
  • Alvin Nelson
    Alvin Nelson
    The newsman said, "The Orcas seen in the Harbor are believed to be transient
    LikeReply5 years ago

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