emergent

adjective emer·gent \ i-ˈmər-jənt \

Updated on: 21 May 2018

Definition of emergent

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

See emergent defined for English-language learners

Examples of emergent in a Sentence

since it was not seen as an emergent problem, it was continually put off

Recent Examples of emergent from the Web

For cool-season winter weeds your pre-emergent timing would be the last week of August into the first week of September.

— neil sperry, star-telegram, "If your yard is in the weeds, here are some tips to control them | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 17 May 2018
Viewed from the Googleplex, or One Hacker Way, humanity is a bit like an ant colony: a complex yet predictable emergent organism.

— felix salmon, WIRED, "Musk, Zuckerberg, Bezos, and Ethically Iffy ‘Philanthropy," 15 May 2018
Onscreen, the consciousness of A.I.s is a given, achieved in a manner as emergent and unexplained as the blooming of our own consciousness.

— tad friend, The New Yorker, "How Frightened Should We Be of A.I.?," 7 May 2018
Also, two of those three applications included pre-emergent weed products.

— neil sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "Why do I have lawn runners and neighbors don’t?," 4 May 2018
And emergent strategy is primarily about getting into other practices.

— justin scott campbell, Longreads, "Earning Our Place on the Planet: An Interview with adrienne maree brown," 24 Apr. 2018
Pre-emergent weedkillers will stop weeds ever from germinating, but proper timing is critical.

— neil sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "Best way to prevent weeds? Keep your grass healthy," 20 Apr. 2018
Corn gluten has not proven to be a very effective pre-emergent and requires several years of application to build up effectiveness.

— ellen nibali, baltimoresun.com, "Garden Q&A: Mulch volcanoes are not what nature intended," 12 Apr. 2018
In 2017, China agreed to ban a variety of North Korean exports — coal, iron ore, marine products, and goods from the country’s emergent textile and garment industry.

— stephan m. haggard, Washington Post, "Those North Korea sanctions might be working. Here’s why.," 6 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emergent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of emergent

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1593

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

emergent Synonyms

emergent

noun

Definition of emergent

1 : something emergent

2 a : a tree that rises above the surrounding forest

b : an emergent plant

Recent Examples of emergent from the Web

Apply a pre-emergent, like Preen, around the bushes to keep down the weeds until mulch is reapplied in late May. Hot temperatures will require a regular watering program and Kentucky rain is never enough.

— janet miller, The Courier-Journal, "Roses are easy - if done right. Here are foolproof tips to follow for your Kentucky garden," 23 Feb. 2018