emergence
emergence Lexical Profile
emergence Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The process of coming into view, existence, or prominence after being concealed, obscure, or previously nonexistent.
"The rapid emergence of renewable energy technologies has transformed the global power grid."
In philosophy, systems theory, and science, the phenomenon whereby a complex entity exhibits properties or behaviors that its individual parts do not possess on their own.
"Researchers in complexity science study consciousness as an example of emergence arising from neural networks."
In botany and entomology, the act of a seedling breaking through the soil surface or an adult insect coming out of its pupal case or egg.
"Warm spring soil temperatures accelerated the emergence of the corn seedlings across the valley."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'emergence' (the process of coming into view or existence) with 'emergency' (a sudden, urgent crisis requiring immediate action), even though both share the same Latin root.
• Rhymes for emergence
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century from Medieval Latin emergentia, from Latin emergere ('to rise out or up, come forth'), formed from e- ('out') and mergere ('to dip, sink').