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• trans*
  trans*

  adjective

  of or relating to people with gender expressions outside traditional norms, as transgender, genderqueer, agender, or nonbinary: campus groups that welcome trans* students.
• trans
  trans

  adjective

  transgender.
• trans-
  trans-

  a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin (transcend; transfix ); on this model, used with the meanings “across,” “beyond,” “through,” “changing thoroughly,” “transverse,” in combination with elements of any origin: transisthmian; trans-Siberian; transempirical; transvalue.
• trans.
  trans.

  abbreviation

  transaction.

trans*

¹ American  

[trans, tranz, trans stahr, trans as-ter-isk, tranz as-] / træns, trænz, ˈtræns ˈstɑr, ˈtræns ˈæs tər ɪsk, ˈtrænz ˈæs- /

adjective

1. of or relating to people with gender expressions outside traditional norms, as transgender, genderqueer, agender, or nonbinary: campus groups that welcome trans* students.

   important trans* issues;

   campus groups that welcome trans* students.

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noun

1. Usually Offensive. a person with a gender identity outside traditional gender norms.

trans ² American  

[trans, tranz] / træns, trænz /

adjective

1. transgender.

   Their son is trans.

   Laura is a trans woman.

2. (no longer in common use) transsexual.

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noun

• transes,
  plural
• trans
  plural

1. Usually Offensive. a person who is transgender.

trans- ³ American  

1. a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin (transcend; transfix ); on this model, used with the meanings “across,” “beyond,” “through,” “changing thoroughly,” “transverse,” in combination with elements of any origin: transisthmian; trans-Siberian; transempirical; transvalue.

2. Chemistry. a prefix denoting a geometric isomer having a pair of identical atoms or groups on the opposite sides of two atoms linked by a double bond.

3. Astronomy. a prefix denoting something farther from the sun (than a given planet): trans-Martian; trans-Neptunian.

4. a prefix meaning “on the other side of,” referring to the misalignment of one’s gender identity with one's sex assigned at birth: transgender.

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trans. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. transaction.

2. transfer.

3. transferred.

4. transformer.

5. transit.

6. transitive.

7. translated.

8. translation.

9. translator.

10. transparent.

11. transportation.

12. transpose.

13. transverse.

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trans. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. transaction

2. transferred

3. transitive

4. translated

5. translator

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trans- ² British  

prefix

1. across, beyond, crossing, on the other side

   transoceanic

   trans-Siberian

   transatlantic

2. changing thoroughly

   transliterate

3. transcending

   transubstantiation

4. transversely

   transect

5. (often in italics) indicating that a chemical compound has a molecular structure in which two groups or atoms are on opposite sides of a double bond Compare cis-

   trans-butadiene

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Sensitive Note

See trans, transgender.

The terms transgender and trans are generally accepted as interchangeable. However, some people prefer the shortened adjective trans to avoid any reference to assigned sex or binary gender in this inclusive identity label. Many transgender people prefer writing trans compounds as two words, as in trans man, trans woman, and trans person. When so written as an open compound with a space, trans functions as an adjective modifying a noun such as man. Spelling these words as closed or hyphenated compounds, as in transmale and trans-people, loses the distinction between trans as a descriptive adjective and man, woman, or person as a human being. Similarly, cis male and cis female are the preferred spelling of these terms. See also transgender.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• trans
  plural
• transes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trans*¹

First recorded in 2000–05; by shortening of transgender ( def. )

Origin of trans²

First recorded in 1970–75; by shortening

Origin of trans-³

From Latin, combining form of trāns (adverb and preposition) “across, beyond, through”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trans* trans trans- trans.

Savage hopes the party will help people fall in love with queer and trans DJs who usually create music in their bedrooms and rarely get to play their music to the club.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

Their findings indicate that naturally occurring dairy trans fats act differently in the body from industrial trans fats.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

This is a necessary intervention: according to Savage, many DJs have gotten lazy, and electronic dance music is a boys club that’s difficult for trans and cisgender women to break into.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

While industrial trans fats are strongly associated with heart disease, the naturally occurring forms found in dairy did not appear to carry the same risk.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

We arrive home fifteen minutes later with two bags full of trans fats Dad never would have touched in the Before.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

The Lesbian Bar Project reports that only 36 remain open in the U.S., and while trans women are welcome in these spaces, none of these bars specifically cater to them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

Their findings indicate that naturally occurring dairy trans fats act differently in the body from industrial trans fats.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

It’s rare for trans women to feel a sense of ease in public space.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

The first-of-its-kind research, published in the journal Nutrition Research, could also help consumers better understand the distinction between different types of trans fats and provide greater clarity around labeling policies that may contribute to confusion.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

Now researchers think these hydrogenated trans fats in margarine are actually worse for our hearts than butter.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

The prefix trans- still implies movement, change, transition, which is a valid component of identity for many transgender individuals.

From Slate ● May 14, 2018

We ultimately got Charlie’s case trans- ferred to juvenile court, where the shooting was adjudicated as a juve- nile offense.

From MSNBC ● Oct. 22, 2014

Many fast food restaurants have recently eliminated the use of trans-fats, and U.S. food labels are now required to list their trans- fat content.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013

She said the talks centered on certification for the long-haul, trans- oceanic flights for which the jet was marketed.

From BusinessWeek ● Dec. 27, 2010

Mind removes scrofula         To prevent or to cure scrofula and other so-called he-         reditary diseases, you must destroy the belief in these ills 424:30 and the faith in the possibility of their trans-         mission.

From Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

“But it would be years before I came out as gay, years before I came out as trans. Narratives have been my way of exploring those identities, even as allegory.”

From New York Times ● Jun. 30, 2023

"So you're trans. Weird way to come out, but good on you," new product strategy & development professional Tom Coates added.

From Salon ● Dec. 29, 2022

“I don’t want a cop pulling me over and knowing I’m trans. That is why I changed my gender marker extremely quickly” after transitioning, she said.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 14, 2022

By Hideo Yokoyama, trans. by Jonathan Lloyd-Davies MCD: 288 pages, $17 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2020

Stokes’s trans., in Rev. Celt., ix. 453-95, x. 50-95.

From The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W. Y. Evans Wentz