trans

adjective \ ˈtran(t)s , ˈtranz \

|Updated on: 4 Aug 2018

Definition of trans

1 a : transgender

The Affordable Care Act included trans health care in many places and that was a remarkable step in the right direction for trans people, but in some ways it still remained difficult to receive personalized and comprehensive transgender healthcare.
—Alexa Corazón

b : transsexual

2 chemistry : characterized by having certain groups of atoms on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of a double bond or of the plane of a ring in a molecule

3 genetics : relating to or being an arrangement of two very closely linked genes in the heterozygous condition in which one mutant allele and one wild-type allele are on each of the two homologous chromosomes — compare cis 3

Recent Examples of trans from the Web

The majority of online commenters argued that the role should have gone to a trans performer.

— mia galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, "Scarlett Johansson Drops Out of 'Rub & Tug' Trans Film Following Backlash," 13 July 2018
Transgender actors and advocates immediately criticized the production for not casting a trans actor in the role.

— CBS News, "Scarlett Johansson drops out of "Rub & Tug" amid backlash," 13 July 2018
Warnings about trans migrants being neglected and abused in United States custody have amplified fears for Ms. Quintanilla and other trans migrants.

— New York Times, "‘They Were Abusing Us the Whole Way’: A Tough Path for Gay and Trans Migrants," 11 July 2018
This isn't just a cis person being cast as a trans character.

— emma stefansky, HWD, "Scarlett Johansson Under Fire for Playing a Trans Man in Her Next Movie," 5 July 2018
Why is everyone mad that #ScarlettJohansson is playing a trans character?

— morgan m. evans, Fox News, "Scarlett Johansson responds to backlash for new transgender film role," 4 July 2018
Not because, not to fight for us just because of our trans life.

— jaya saxena, GQ, "Pose's Mj Rodriguez Is Ready to Be a Spokesperson," 22 June 2018
And that's fine, but why not cast more trans people than that?

— christopher rosa, Glamour, "Should Cisgender Actors Be Allowed to Play Transgender Characters?," 6 July 2018
Data are poor, but by the government’s rough estimate 200,000-500,000 trans people live in Britain.

— The Economist, "A culture war comes to Westminster," 5 July 2018

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

First Known Use of trans

1892

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

trans

abbreviation

Definition of trans

1 transaction

2 transitive

3 translated; translation; translator

4 transmission

5 transportation

6 transverse

trans-

prefix

Definition of trans-

1 : on or to the other side of : across : beyond

transatlantic

2 a : beyond (a specified chemical element) in the periodic table

transuranium

b : trans

trans-dichloro-ethylene

— compare cis- 2

3 : through

transcutaneous

4 : so or such as to change or transfer

transliterate

translocation

transamination

transship

See trans- defined for English-language learners

See trans- defined for kids

Origin and Etymology of trans-

Latin trans-, tra- across, beyond, through, so as to change, from trans across, beyond — more at ¹through

TRANS Defined for English Language Learners

trans-

prefix

Definition of trans- for English Language Learners

: on or to the other side of : across or beyond
: so as to change in form or position

TRANS Defined for Kids

trans.

abbreviation

Definition of trans. for Students

transitive

trans-

prefix

Definition of trans- for Students

1 : on or to the other side of : across : beyond

transatlantic

2 : so as to change or transfer

transplant

Medical Dictionary

trans

adjective \ ˈtran(t)s , ˈtranz \

medical Definition of trans

1 : characterized by or having certain groups of atoms on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of a double bond or of the plane of a ring in a molecule — see all-trans

2 : relating to or being an arrangement of two very closely linked genes in the heterozygous condition in which one mutant allele and one wild-type allele are on each of the two homologous chromosomes — compare cis 2