transcendence
transcendence Lexical Profile
transcendence Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The state or quality of surpassing ordinary limits, excelling, or rising above common experience.
"Through years of disciplined meditation, she sought a state of spiritual transcendence beyond everyday worries."
In philosophy and theology, existence or experience situated beyond the normal, physical, or material level, especially the state of the divine being independent of the created universe.
"The seminar explored the tension between divine transcendence and God's presence in the material world."
Word Nuance & Usage
In philosophy and theology, 'transcendence' (existing beyond the physical universe) is the direct opposite of 'immanence' (existing or operating within the physical world). It should also be distinguished from 'transcendentalism', which refers specifically to the 19th-century philosophical and literary movement.
• Rhymes for transcendence
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin 'transcendentia', from the verb 'transcendere' ('to climb over or surpass'), formed from 'trans-' ('across, beyond') and 'scandere' ('to climb').