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

transition traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle French transition

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchtransition
2Latintransitiotransit, transition, passage; desertion;...
3Latinitioa going, walking, travelling
4Latin-tiōtion, -ation, -ing
5Latindissertātiō(spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition
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

via Latin trānsitiō

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latintrānsitiōtransit, transition, passage
2Latintrānsacross, beyond
3LatinPadusthe River Po
4LeponticBodincus
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰmḗnbottom
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “transition

Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ