Their son is trans.
Laura is a trans woman.
(no longer in common use) transsexual.
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.
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.
Astronomy. a prefix denoting something farther from the sun (than a given planet): trans-Martian; trans-Neptunian.
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.
transaction.
transfer.
transferred.
transformer.
transit.
transitive.
translated.
translation.
translator.
transparent.
transportation.
transpose.
transverse.
transaction
transferred
transitive
translated
translator
across, beyond, crossing, on the other side
transoceanic
trans-Siberian
transatlantic
changing thoroughly
transliterate
transcending
transubstantiation
transversely
transect
(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
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.
First recorded in 2000–05; by shortening of transgender ( def. )
First recorded in 1970–75; by shortening
From Latin, combining form of trāns (adverb and preposition) “across, beyond, through”
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“If you are new here, I am a vocal ally of the trans community,” Turner wrote on X in 2024.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
"I have never once said I hated the trans community... I think there's space for everyone," she said, before the Fever's 123-88 win over the Connecticut Sun in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
"We remain committed to defending human rights, including both the rights of women and the rights of trans people."
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Even when ruling against trans minors, Roberts made a point of using the correct pronouns.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 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
But I have never once said that I hated the trans community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
"I have never once said I hated the trans community... I think there's space for everyone," she said, before the Fever's 123-88 win over the Connecticut Sun in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Other entrants include a trans woman named Ashley Webb and a gloriously bearded Marine vet.
From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026
"We remain committed to defending human rights, including both the rights of women and the rights of trans people."
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
For a while he convinced himself that being a girl would be okay, that being trans was just too hard a life.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
During this hydrogenation process, double bonds in the cis- conformation in the hydrocarbon chain may be converted to double bonds in the trans- conformation; unfortunately, trans fats have been shown to contribute to heart disease.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
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
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
It is contrary to practice for brokers to deal with brokers, and all trans- actions are between brokers and jobbers.
From Everybody's Guide to Money Matters: with a description of the various investments chiefly dealt in on the stock exchange, and the mode of dealing therein by Cotton, William
“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
“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
What is your rebuttal to someone who says, "I'm not gay or queer or trans. I have nothing against them, but I don't really care either way about their issues."
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2022
“The truth of the matter is, kids are gay. Kids are trans. Kids are everywhere on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum,” Mr. Hanohano said.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 10, 2022
De magnete was trans. by P. Fleury Motteley, London, 1893.
From A History of Science, Volume 5(of 5) Aspects Of Recent Science by Williams, Henry Smith
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.
