emergence
Americannoun
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emergences
plural
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the act or process of emerging.
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an outgrowth, as a prickle, on the surface of a plant.
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Evolution. the appearance of new properties or species in the course of development or evolution.
noun
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the act or process of emerging
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an outgrowth, such as a prickle, that contains no vascular tissue and does not develop into stem, leaf, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of emergence
First recorded in 1640–50; from French, from Medieval Latin; see emergency
Explanation
An emergence is when something comes into view — like the emergence of a seedling in a garden or the famous emergence of Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day — which is supposed to show how soon spring will "emerge." Emergence is a noun that goes back to the Latin root emergere, meaning "bring to light," and it came into English in the 17th century. Just as something comes to light or shows up where there was darkness or nothing before, an emergence happens — like new technologies such as the emergence of e-readers. Pronouncing emergence is the same as pronouncing emergency but without the long e sound at the end.
Vocabulary lists containing emergence
Evolutionary Biology - Adaptation
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Content Summary 4.7: Early Modern Western Society and Culture
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Content Summary 1.3: Origins of Complex Urban Societies in the Ancient World
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
An exhibition at New York’s Bard Graduate Center showcases fashion’s essential, energizing role in the emergence of cinema as an art form.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
However, if oxygen remained relatively abundant during extended periods of Earth's early history, it raises the possibility that other environmental conditions or biological limitations played a greater role in slowing the emergence of complex life.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
Perhaps, if you want to be really cynical about it, you could boil down all of human nature and biology and the emergence of consciousness into “a lot of math” as well.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
For spring 2027, you created this fantastical garden populated by insects, beginning with a chrysalis and ending with the emergence of butterflies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
That began my emergence as a new and dreary person.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said it was "a landmark step forward for Wales" with the climate and nature emergences "intensifying around us".
From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026
Every time periodical cicadas arrive in the United States, they bring a sense of wonder with them — their long intervals underground and their perfectly timed mass emergences are fascinating, even to experts.
From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2024
Why wouldn’t we add cicada emergences to the bucket list?
From Slate ● Apr. 14, 2024
But scientists are warning that early cicada emergences could become more frequent as climate change ushers in earlier springs and longer periods of warmth.
From National Geographic ● Sep. 5, 2023
Neglecting other points of intersection, but taking account of the observed emergences at Vietri di Potenza, Auletta, Polla, etc.,
From A Study of Recent Earthquakes by Charles Davison
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
