[tran.sient] adj [L transeunt-, transiens, prp. of transire to go across, pass, fr. trans- + ire to go--more at issue] (1599) 1 a: passing esp. quickly into and out of existence: transitory b: passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn
2: affecting something or producing results beyond itself -- tran.sient.ly adv syn transient, transitory, ephemeral, momentary, fugitive, fleeting, evanescent mean lasting or staying only a short time. transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay "a hotel catering primarily to transient guests". transitory applies to what is by its nature or essence bound to change, pass, or come to an end "fame in the movies is transitory". ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration "many slang words are ephemeral". momentary suggests coming and going quickly and therefore being merely a brief interruption of a more enduring state "my feelings of guilt were only momentary". fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult "let a fugitive smile flit across his face" "fleeting moments of joy". evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality "the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation".
[2]transient n (1652) 1: one that is transient: as a: a transient guest b: a person traveling about usu. in search of work
2. a: a temporary oscillation that occurs in a circuit because of a sudden change of voltage or of load b: a transient current or voltage