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.
“To date there’s been one out trans player in the league. They caused zero problems.”
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
Few people knew his trans status—he kept it on the down low.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
“To date there’s been one out trans player in the league. They caused zero problems.”
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
On the statutory question, it held that Title IX’s provisions, particularly the Javits Amendment, which concerns school sports, did not require schools to make reasonable accommodations for trans students.
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 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
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 company has marketed the jet.
From BusinessWeek ● Dec. 23, 2010
The broker's charge for trans- acting in Consols is 25. 6d.
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
"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
“There is nothing wrong or dirty about being trans. It’s just a part of us that we live with.”
From Washington Post ● Sep. 23, 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
Biography in McG. de Slane’s trans. of Ibn Khallikān, vol. i. pp. 470-474, and many stories are told of him in the Kitāb ul-Aghāni, vol. v. pp. 164-175.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 8 "Haller, Albrecht" to "Harmonium" by Various
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.
