emergent

1 of 2

adjective

emer·​gent i-ˈmər-jənt 

1

a

: arising unexpectedly

b

: calling for prompt action : urgent

emergent danger

2

a

: rising out of or as if out of a fluid

emergent coastal islands

b

: rooted in shallow water and having most of its vegetative growth above water

an emergent plant

3

: arising as a natural or logical consequence

4

: newly formed or prominent

emergent nations

emergent

2 of 2

noun

1

: something emergent

2

a

: a tree that rises above the surrounding forest

b

: an emergent plant

Synonyms

Adjective

• acute
• burning
• clamant
• compelling
• critical
• crying
• dire
• exigent
• imperative
• imperious
• importunate
• instant
• necessitous
• pressing
• urgent

Examples of emergent in a Sentence

Adjective

since the problem was not seen as emergent, implementation of the expensive solution for it was continually put off

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This emergent strategy is reflected in Japan’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which differs markedly from its response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. —Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2022

At least one dimension of it might be an emergent phenomenon that arises from its deeper nature rather than being explicitly hardwired into the fundamental laws. —Edgar Shaghoulian, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2022

Noun

In the eccentric 1962 documentary Pop Goes the Easel, Ken Russell created a portrait of the emergent movement by profiling four artists. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Sep. 2024

The correspondence could mean that quantum theory is emergent and spacetime is fundamental—or that neither is fundamental and that there is some even deeper fundamental theory out there. —Adam Becker, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin emergent-, emergens, present participle of emergere

First Known Use

Adjective

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing emergent

• emergent evolution

Medical Definition

emergent

adjective

emer·​gent i-ˈmər-jənt 

: calling for prompt or urgent action

an emergent condition in a hemophiliac