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Added 9 October 2026

transient

/ˈtɹan.zi.ənt/ noun

Latin root: transiēnt Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about transient at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

One who stays for only a short time.
transient laborers
(physics) a short-lived oscillation in a system caused by a sudden change of voltage or current or load.

adjective

Of a mental act; causing effects outside the mind.
Lasting a very short time.
the ephemeral joys of childhood

Origin

From Late Latin transiēnt- (for classical transeunt-), stem of transiēns, present participle of trānsīre (“to go over, to pass”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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