trans

adjective \ ˈtran(t)s , ˈtranz \

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

Recent Examples of trans from the Web

Q: What are stupid questions to ask a trans person?

— tamara ikenberg, Alaska Dispatch News, "Becoming a man in just ‘127 Easy Steps’: Transgender activist and actor returns to perform one-man show," 30 June 2017
There are so many limited opportunities and roadblocks and barriers, particularly for trans women of color.

— joey nolfi, PEOPLE.com, "RuPaul's Drag Race Runner-Up Has Message for Haters: 'Eat Your Words, B----!'," 24 June 2017
Gayatri Patnaik, editorial director of Beacon Press, said she was drawn to the book because of its unique perspective of both the trans person and a parent.

— susan dunne, courant.com, "CCSU Professor, Transgender Son Write Book About Coping As A Family," 16 June 2017
France shows Marsha’s life, the origins of the movement and shines a light on the epidemic of anti-trans violence that persists today.

— seattle times staff, The Seattle Times, "SIFF 2017: Highlights of the film festival’s final weekend," 8 June 2017
Make no mistake — this strong pro-trans message wasn’t a happy accident.

— brandon friederich, Billboard, "Dragonette 'Body 2 Body' Video Premiere: Band & Director Talk RuPaul's Inspiration, Pride Month Plans," 7 June 2017
Painting cisgender people as the victims of the trans community's plea for respect co-opts the actual struggles that transgender people encounter every day, even when doing something as ordinary as existing in public space.

— nico lang, Marie Claire, "11 Trans Women Have Been Murdered This Year, but Conservatives Are Claiming *They're* the Victims," 7 June 2017
Their history illuminates the current debate around trans students in school bathrooms. *

— j.y. chua, The Atlantic, "Bathing in Controversy," 2 June 2017
Pro-restriction advocates argue that keeping trans people out of certain bathrooms is a safety issue.

— andrea stanley, Seventeen, "This 17-Year-Old Transgender Student Speaks Out About Why Bathroom Bills Really Exist," 31 May 2017

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

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