transition
/trænˈzɪʃ.ən/
noun
Origin
Latin
transire — to go across, cross over
Overview
Meaning Now
- The process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.
- A passage or change from one subject, point, or topic to another in discourse or writing.
Literal older meaning
a passing across
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
transicion
Earliest period
late 15th century
Journey
The word transitioned into English from Latin through French at a time when scholastic and theological vocabulary was being heavily imported into the language. It initially referred to logical or rhetorical movement before gaining its broader application to physical states and social changes.
Evolution
- Latin
transitus
“a going across, passage”
Past participle of transire.
- Middle French
transition
“passage, change”
Adopted from Latin via legal and theological usage.
- English, 1590s
transition
“a passing from one state to another”
First recorded usage in the modern sense.
Connections
Word parts
trans-
prefix
across, beyond
it
root
to go
-ion
suffix
denoting an action or process
Related across languages
French
transition
Italian
transizione
transition
Explore next
Related to transition
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.