I. ˈtranchənt, ˈtraan- sometimes -nzēənt or -n(t)sēənt or -nzhənt or -njənt adjective
Etymology: Latin transeunt-, transiens, present participle of transire to go across or beyond, cross over, pass, pass away, from trans- 22 ire to go — more at issue
1.
a. : passing away in time or ceasing to exist : impermanent , transitory , short-lived
not even spring beauty … was so transient — like music fading away — Ruth Suckow
features of their culture were transient ; they do not now exist — John Dewey
the Leyden jar gave only transient electrical current, but the voltaic cell … provided a continuous source of current — S.F.Mason
if the patient is examined … when the circulatory impairment is transient or rapidly compensated — Alfred Blalock
b. : passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn
transient agricultural population with discouraged settlers constantly pulling up stakes and drifting on — American Guide Series: Arizona
the hotel accommodates transient guests
the transient butterfly — Edna S. V. Millay
c. of a musical modulation : introduced momentarily or in passing from one key to a third one
2. : passing beyond itself : outwardly effective or efficient : emanant
the creation of the universe considered as a transient act
— contrasted with immanent
3. : passing from one person or thing to another
dominant traits transient through succeeding generations
Synonyms:
transitory , passing , ephemeral , momentary , fleeting , fugitive , evanescent , short-lived : transient often describes that which is short in its duration or stay and passes quickly
after a transient seventh-century conquest by Assyria, Egypt experienced one more flourishing renascence (663-525) of its old patterns under native rulers — A.L.Kroeber
guilt in Mrs. Clay's face as she listened … was transient: cleared away in an instant — Jane Austen
the excitement of the examination may produce violent and rapid heart action, often associated with a transient systolic murmur — H.G.Armstrong
transitory and passing may suggest the notion of the inevitability of changing, ending, or dying out
their eyes were lifted from the earth … not concerned with its transitory things, soon to be consumed — H.O.Taylor
the pleasures of taste, at best, are transitory — Virgil Thomson
have omitted no important event and no incident of more than passing interest — Bernard De Voto
men are given to the trick of having a passing fancy for somebody else in the midst of a permanent love, which reasserts itself afterwards just as before — Thomas Hardy
ephemeral may suggest the idea of living only for a day; it describes only that which endures for a similar brief period
the life of the mayfly is ephemeral
the very best of our experience is not as good as our dreams: our most exquisite moments are flawed and fragmentary … ephemeral — David Cecil
momentary applies to that which endures only a moment or similar quite short period
being a work of men's hands, it gave the child a momentary sense of comfort, of companionship in the dreadful wild — C.G.D.Roberts
the momentary lulls between succeeding waves — C.B.Nordhoff & J.N.Hall
fleeting may suggest a flying transitoriness making it hard or impossible to arrest or apprehend the thing in question
to take advantage of these fleeting opportunities, one must have a quick control over his own mind — S.M.Crothers
how to seize the fleeting impressions of that dream — P.E.More
fugitive may suggest that whatever is described may be thought of as in flight and seeking to escape apprehension
here is the last chance to feel young … but the days are fugitive and most of us are too busy — E.A.Weeks
there were moments of fugitive sunshine, but of such brief duration that they but added to our misery — C.B.Nordhoff & J.N.Hall
evanescent describes that which is quite fleeting and likely to vanish away; it may apply to the delicate, fragile, unsubstantial, and airy
the quality of her charm was evanescent … forever fleeing — Elinor Wylie
of lusters with so evanescent a sheen their colours are felt, but never seen — Amy Lowell
the scholar with perspective of his subject is aware … that part of his business is to distinguish the evanescent fad from permanent progress — A.L.Kroeber
short-lived stresses the fact of brevity of existence
as short-lived as Well's paper, lasting only from July 14 until October 15 — American Guide Series: Florida
II. noun
( -s )
1. : one that is transient: as
a. : a transient guest or boarder
motels cater chiefly to transients
b. : an often homeless person traveling about usually in search of work or a living
a city of permanent transients who shift … from one section to another — wherever they can find food and coal — Norman Cousins
the great bulk of transients are law-abiding individuals … in pursuit of employment — H.A.Bloch
2.
a. : a temporary or rapidly changing state or condition of an electrical system ; specifically : a temporary electrical oscillation that occurs in a circuit because of a sudden change of voltage or of load
b. : a transient current or voltage