transition

¹tran·si·tion

noun \tran(t)-ˈsi-shən, tran-ˈzi-, chiefly British tran(t)-ˈsi-zhən\

Definition of TRANSITION

1

a : passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another : change

b : a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another

2

a : a musical modulation

b : a musical passage leading from one section of a piece to another

3

: an abrupt change in energy state or level (as of an atomic nucleus or a molecule) usually accompanied by loss or gain of a single quantum of energy

— tran·si·tion·al \-ˈsish-nəl, -ˈsizh-, -ˈzish-; -ˈsi-shə-n^əl, -ˈzi-, -zhə-\ adjective

— tran·si·tion·al·ly adverb

Examples of TRANSITION

1. We want to have a smooth transition when the new owners take control of the company.
2. the sometimes difficult transition from childhood to adulthood
3. The country made a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Origin of TRANSITION

Latin transition-, transitio, from transire

First Known Use: 1551

Rhymes with TRANSITION

addition, admission, ambition, attrition, audition, beautician, clinician, cognition, coition, commission, condition, contrition, demission, dentition, dismission, Domitian, edition, emission, ethician, fruition, ignition, Kittitian, lenition, logician, magician, Mauritian, monition, mortician, munition, musician, nutrition, omission, optician, partition, patrician, perdition, permission, petition, Phoenician, physician, Politian, position, punition, remission, rendition, sedition, submission, suspicion, tactician, technician, tradition, transmission, tuition, volition

²transition

intransitive verb

Definition of TRANSITION

: to make a transition <transition into college>

Examples of TRANSITION

1. The company has transitioned to new management in the past year.
2. a student who is transitioning to a new school

First Known Use of TRANSITION

1946

Rhymes with TRANSITION

ambition, audition, commission, condition, munition, partition, patrician, petition, Phoenician, position, suspicion

tran·si·tion

noun \tran(t)s-ˈish-ən, tranz-, chiefly British tran(t)s-ˈizh-\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of TRANSITION

1

: passage from one state or stage to another; especially : an abrupt change in energy state or level (as of an atomic nucleus or a molecule) usually accompanied by loss or gain of a single quantum of energy

2

: a genetic mutation in RNA or DNA that results from the substitution of one purine base for the other or of one pyrimidine base for the other