emergent
/ɪˈmɝd͡ʒənt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.15 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Arising unexpectedly, especially if also calling for immediate reaction.
adj
adj
Taller than the surrounding vegetation.
adj
That arises at a higher level than that of its components and is not explainable by the behaviour of said components taken individually; having properties as a whole that are more complex than the properties contributed by each of the components individually.
Example Sentences
- "The chief precepts of their priests enjoin the strict keeping of their Lents, which are at least seven months in every year, and are not to be dispensed with on the most emergent necessity. Letter 43"
- "Therefore, patients with ulcerative colitis should ideally be treated before they become emergent cases with toxic megacolon or perforation of the colon."
- "Bleeding manifestations in chronic DIC are more subacute than in acute DIC, but may become emergent as DIC progresses."
- "As a rule, esophageal disorders become emergent when the airway is compromised either by the initial insult or by a high risk of aspiration."
- "Before communication and cognition impair decision-making, and before the medical needs for interventions become emergent, advance decisions about nutrition and ventilation must be discussed."
- "In short, emergent games are ones that allow a huge range of possibilities and don't dictate a strict, linear flow of events. A strategy game is emergent because so many units can interact and have some effect on each other."
Etymology
From Latin ēmergēns, present participle of ēmergō. The medical sense is a back-formation from emergency.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: ēmergēns
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪˈmɝd͡ʒənt/
- British English: /ɪˈmɜːd͡ʒənt/