emergent

[ ih-mur-juhnt ]
See synonyms for emergent on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. coming into view or notice; issuing.

  2. emerging; rising from a liquid or other surrounding medium.

  1. coming into existence, especially with political independence: the emergent nations of Africa.

  2. arising casually or unexpectedly.

  3. calling for immediate action; urgent.

  4. Evolution. displaying emergence.

noun
  1. Ecology. an aquatic plant having its stem, leaves, etc., extending above the surface of the water.

Origin of emergent

1
1350–1400; Middle English (<Middle French ) <Latin ēmergent- (stem ofēmergēns) arising out of, present participle of ēmergere to emerge

Other words from emergent

  • e·mer·gent·ly, adverb
  • e·mer·gent·ness, noun
  • non·e·mer·gent, adjective
  • re·e·mer·gent, adjective
  • un·e·mer·gent, adjective

Words Nearby emergent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use emergent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for emergent

emergent

/ (ɪˈmɜːdʒənt) /


adjective
  1. coming into being or notice: an emergent political structure

  2. (of a nation) recently independent

noun
  1. an aquatic plant with stem and leaves above the water

Derived forms of emergent

  • emergently, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for emergent

emergent

[ ĭ-mûrjənt ]


  1. Rooted below a body of water or in an area that is periodically submerged but extending above the water level. Used of aquatic plants such as cattails, rushes, or cord grass.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.