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:
The new range places the possible emergence of animals between 800 and 700 million years ago.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
The gradual emergence of mazelike permitting processes further slowed more ambitious new refining projects, at least in some areas.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
Tharpe, whose guitar work helped shape artists including Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Little Richard, was "pivotal" to the emergence of rock'n'roll, Phillips said.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
The emergence of a new kind of online shopper, using these sites and willing to pay luxury prices for used pieces, has become so prominent that it is sometimes outshining the freshest runway trends.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
This development enhanced their ability to wage legal battles but impeded their ability to acknowledge or respond to the emergence of a new caste system.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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
Yet, the 2024 emergences are not being overhyped, say scientists.
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
It was a man on duty in the control room, overhead, reporting that two emergences had just been detected at twenty light-minutes due north of the planet.
From Space Viking by H. Beam Piper
Definitions 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.
