trans-, tran-, tra-

(Latin: across, through, over, beyond; on the far side of)

Don't confuse the tra- in this element with another tra- in "drag" or "draw". Trans- becomes tra- before the consonants -d, -j, -l, -m, -n, and -v.

transitory (TRAN suh tor" ee) (adjective), more transitory, most transitory
1. Characteristic of existing, enduring, or lasting for a short time; short-lived, brief, or temporary: Suburban populations are often transitory for economic reasons; such as, when there are not enough employment opportunities.
2. Not lasting for ever; not permanent, nor eternal: The community had a transitory existence because of the lack of proper or sufficient housing.

All living creatures obviously have a transitory existence.

Existing only for a short time.
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That which is not permanent, but only existing temporarily.
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translatable (adjective), more translatable, most translatable
1. Possible of being changed or put into another language: Mrs. Smith gave her students easily translatable German texts to work on and reword in English for their homework.
2. Susceptible of being converted or reconstructed into another substance; transformable: The ideas that Jim had could be translatable into a real tangible and useful device, and so he wrote all his ideas down!
translate (TRANS layt, TRANZ layt, trans LAYT, tranz LAYT) (verb), translates; translated; translating
1. To change or transfer from one set of symbols to another: Henry agreed to translate the document from German into English for Marilyn.

George, can you translate this list of measurements from Imperial measurements into Metric measurements, please?

2. To move or to change either a physical location or the appearance of something: The king agreed to translate his court from the city to the country estate of his friend.

Mark's friend slowly started to translate from being a simple country boy into an active city guy.

3. To explain or to interpret: Mary, would you like Mark to translate that complicated legal document into plain English?
translation (s) (noun), translations (pl)
translational scientific research (s) (noun), translational scientific researches (pl)
Translational Scientific Research is generally described as the process of applying ideas, insights, and discoveries generated through basic knowledge inquiry to the treatment or prevention of disease or injury: The value of Translational Scientific Research is usually determined on the basis of the likelihood that completion of exploratory or developmental research objectives will move towards effective objectives.

The most important aspect of Translational Research is the working from the laboratory to the clinic, and from the clinic back to the laboratory.

Translational Scientific Research is, therefore, an inherently collaborative and interdisciplinary area of medical research.


Special information about Transitional Scientific Research is available here.

translator (s) (noun), translators (pl)
transliterate (trans LIT uh rayt", tranz LIT uh rayt") (verb), transliterates; transliterated; transliterating
To write or to spell something using the characters of a different alphabet: Tina's friend agreed to try to transliterate the ancient Egyptian script into English for her because, unless it could first be transliterated, there was no way she could understand it!
transliteration (s) (noun), transliterations (pl)
The act or results of representing letters or words in the characters of another alphabet, language, or script: Sam was unable to talk clearly, so he was using transliteration to communicate with others by producing his conversations in a sign language, and his friends were doing the same with him.
transliterator (s) (noun), transliterators (pl)
Someone who can translate or write words or letters in the characters or alphabet of another language: For the essay she had to write for one of her classes, Edith needed a transliterator to transcribe the text in Japanese into English so that she could understand it!
translocate (verb), translocates; translocated; translocating
To transfer to another place, particularly wild animals: The boars from the forest somehow entered the town but were soon translocated back into the woods farther away.

The deer in the forest had to be translocated because a construction company was going to cut down all of the trees in order to build a shopping complex.

translocation (s) (noun), translocations (pl)
1. The movement or the act of transferring someone or something, from one position or situation to a different arrangement: Ben and Mia were making a translocation from their old house to a new and more pleasant residence near a lake.
2. Etymology: from Latin trare, "to cross" + locatio, "a placing" + -ation, "act or state of".
translucence (s) (noun), translucences (pl)
1. Permitting sunshine, for example, to pass through but diffusing it so that people, objects, etc., on the opposite side are not clearly visible: The translucence of the frosted window glass in the door was not transparent.

The translucence of the frosted window in the front door prevented the woman from seeing who was ringing the doorbell.

2. Easily understandable; lucid: Marjory gave her friends an explanation of great translucence that was very easy to understand.
3. Clear; transparent: The biologists could see that the translucence of the seawater was decreased by the storm.
4. The action or fact of shining through, mentally or physically: Siebert had a moment of translucence when all the facts of the criminal case were provided and he knew he could solve the mystery.
translucency (s) (noun), translucencies (pl)
Materials that allow shining elements to pass through them in a diffuse or in unclear results: Although translucency usually refers to visible brilliancy in common usage, it can actually refer to any type of radiation; for example, bodily flesh is transparent to X-rays, while the translucency of bones is not.

Although transparency usually refers to visible light in well-known phrases, it can also refer to anything that can be easily seen; for example, there is translucency of soft tissue with X-rays, while there are no translucencies with the humerus, collarbone, breastbone, etc.

Ted's new door had several glass panes; including, three that were translucencies which allowed brightness to filter through, but they didn't provide a clear view of what was outside.

translucent (adjective), more translucent, most translucent
Letting bright elements pass through but diffusing them so that objects on the other side cannot be clearly distinguished: The door of the shower was made of translucent glass, letting shining images transmit through it, but not allowing clearly visible forms to be seen of who might be taking a shower!

Frosted glass is an example of another translucent product.

translucently (adverb), more translucently, most translucently
Descriptive of effulgence being transmitted but causing sufficient diffusion to prevent the clear perception or viewing of images: The window was frosted and so it translucently presented a distortion of anything, or anyone, on the outside.