emergent
emergent Lexical Profile
emergent Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
In the process of coming into being, developing, or becoming prominent.
"The summit focused on trade policies among emergent economies in Southeast Asia."
Arising as a complex whole or unexpected property from the interaction of simpler individual components that do not possess that property on their own.
"Consciousness is often studied by neuroscientists as an emergent property of neural networks."
North American Arising unexpectedly and calling for immediate action; urgent (especially in medical contexts).
"The patient was rushed into the operating room for emergent cardiac surgery."
Growing upward out of water into the air, or rising high above the surrounding forest canopy (of aquatic plants or tall rainforest trees).
"Dragonflies frequently perch on emergent aquatic vegetation along the edge of the pond."
• noun
A tall tree that grows above the general level of the surrounding forest canopy, or an aquatic plant that extends above the surface of the water.
"Harpy eagles often build their nests in the crowns of towering rainforest emergents."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'emergent' primarily describes something newly developing or arising from a complex system, in North American medical terminology it is also frequently used to mean 'urgent' or 'relating to an emergency' (e.g., 'emergent surgery').
• Rhymes for emergent
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Latin 'emergentem', the present participle of 'emergere' ('to rise out or up'), formed from 'ex-' ('out') and 'mergere' ('to dip or sink').