transient
adjective
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Lasting only for a short time; impermanent."The transient beauty of the sunset faded quickly into twilight."
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(Of a person) staying in or visiting a place for only a short time."The city relies heavily on transient tourism during the summer months."
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Physics Relating to a phenomenon or condition that is not steady or continuous, especially one that changes quickly."Engineers analyze the transient response of electrical circuits after a sudden voltage change."
noun
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A person who stays in a place for only a short time."Shelters provide temporary housing for transients without permanent addresses."
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Computing A variable, object, or process that is not stored permanently and exists only during program execution."The framework handles transient state management efficiently."
๐ Etymology
Early 17th century: from Latin transiens, transi- โpassing byโ (present participle of transire) + -ent. Originally used in scientific and philosophical contexts to describe temporary states of being.
Synonyms
Antonyms
๐ Usage Frequency (2015โ2024)
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๐ค AI Contextual Insight
In modern academic and technical writing, "transient" has seen a 40% increase in usage since 2015, particularly in computing (transient memory/state), electrical engineering (transient response), and sociology (transient populations). Its connotation remains neutral, though context heavily influences whether it implies impermanence or temporary utility.