ēˈmərj, ə̇ˈ-, -mə̄j, -məij intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin emergere, from e- + mergere to dip, plunge — more at merge
1. : to rise from or as if from an enveloping fluid : come out into view
when land first emerged from the sea
the sun emerges from eclipse
rays emerging from a prism
a road emerging from the park
2. : to become revealed : become manifest : become known
a new problem then emerged
it emerges that her past behavior was far from irreproachable
after long study there emerged an overall picture of conditions that was extremely disheartening
3. : to come forth or rise from an inferior, obscure, or unfortunate position or condition into one of superiority, prominence, or success
as the common people emerged from illiteracy
someone must emerge as a leader
emerged the unchallenged head of the state
the youngest runner emerged the victor
4.
a. : to arise by emergent evolution
b. : to come into being through evolution
certain new viruses appear to have emerged in recent years
there is no certainty as to the ancestors from which vertebrates emerged