Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “transition” come from?

Transition comes from Middle French transition, derived from Latin transitio, combining Latin trans with a root from Proto-Indo-European terh₂- meaning to cross or go through.

transition (English): The process of change from one form, state, style...

Definitions

  1. The process of change from one form, state, style...

Ancestry of “transition”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchtransition—
2Latintransitiotransit, transition, passage; desertion;...
3Latinitioa going, walking, travelling
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “transition”

  • transitional
  • retransition
  • transitionary
  • pretransition
  • posttransition
  • transitionally
  • nontransition
  • transitionality
  • pretransitional
  • nontransitional
  • posttransitional
  • transitionless
  • transitioner
  • transitionist
  • transition matrix
  • detransition
  • detransitioner
  • multitransitional
  • antitransition
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →