1
: 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

Note: While the word trans has been used as a shortened version of both transgender and transsexual, the word transsexual is dated and sometimes offensive. The word transgender is preferred.

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 sense 3

trans

2 of 3

abbreviation

trans-

3 of 3

prefix

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- sense 2
3
: through
transcutaneous
4
: so or such as to change or transfer
transliterate
translocation
transamination
transship

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
One of Musk’s daughters, who is trans, has reportedly severed ties with him. Julia Malleck, Quartz, 19 Apr. 2023 Conservatives have called for a boycott of Anheuser-Busch products after Dylan Mulvaney, a trans woman hated by many conservatives simply for being trans, was sent some beer cans featuring her face on the label. Matt Novak, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023 My partner Ebony is trans. Ericka Hart, refinery29.com, 13 Apr. 2023 Spliced through the film are behind-the-scenes interviews with the actors themselves, all of whom are trans, as well as appearances by historian Jules Gill-Peterson, who provides additional context and narration throughout. Anne Branigin, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2023 Transgender people in the U.S. are facing unprecedented political and cultural oppression, including legislation in some states that would cut off access to gender-affirming care for kids and hundreds of other anti-trans bills. Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Apr. 2023 So how many trans people are there in the United States? Seven Graham, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2023 Curtis refers to her Oscar as they/them in support of her daughter Ruby, who is trans. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 15 Mar. 2023 Despite being a doctor, she wasn't trained to recognize the signals a child is trans. Olivia Krauth, The Courier-Journal, 14 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trans.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

(sense 1) by shortening of transgender or transsexual; (senses 2 & 3) from the prefix trans-

Prefix

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

First Known Use

Adjective

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of trans was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near trans

Cite this Entry

“Trans.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trans. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

trans-

prefix
1
: on or to the other side of : across : beyond
transatlantic
2
: so or such as to change in form or position or transfer
transliterate
Etymology

Prefix

derived from Latin trans- "across, beyond, so as to change"

Medical Definition

trans

adjective
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 sense 2

More from Merriam-Webster on trans

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