Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

transcendental

/ˌtɹænˌ(t)sɛnˈdɛntl̩/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.00 in modern English

Syllables: trans-en-dent-al
IPA: /ˌtɹænˌ(t)sɛnˈdɛntl̩/

17

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Synonym of transcendent (“surpassing usual limits; excelling; extraordinary”).

adj

In the philosophy of Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.): synonym of transcendent (“transcending or extending beyond a single category”); also, synonym of metaphysical (“of or relating to the basic structure of reality”).

adj

In the philosophy of Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) or similar philosophies: concerned with the a priori or intuitive basis of knowledge, independent of experience.

adj

In the philosophy associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882): of or relating to transcendentalism (“a philosophy which stresses intuition and spirituality”).

adj

Beyond one's ordinary experience; extraordinary.

adj

Existing in the imagination; abstract, conceptual.

adj

Mystical, superhuman, supernatural.

adj

Of an element of an extension field: not algebraic, that is, not the root of any polynomial that has positive degree and rational coefficients; also, of an extension field: that contains elements which are not algebraic.

Example Sentences

"[T]he Deity himſelf, tho' he perceiveth neither Pleaſure, nor Pain, nor any thing elſe, as vve do: yet muſt needs have a Perfect and Tranſcendental Perception, both of Pleaſure, and Pain, and of all other things."
"All theſe conſiderations hovvever vvere belovv the tranſcendental dignity of the Revolution Society."
"Thoſe Particles are here ſtiled Tranſcendental, vvhich do circumſtantiate vvords in reſpect of ſome Metaphyſical notion; either by enlarging the acception of them to ſome more general ſignification, then doth belong to the reſtrained ſenſe of their places: or denoting a relation to ſome other Predicament or Genus, under vvhich they are not originally placed."
"To be impenetrable, diſcerpible, and unactive, is the nature of all Body and Matter, as ſuch: And the properties of a Spirit are the direct contrary, to be penetrable, indiſcerpible, and ſelf-motive: Yea, ſo different they are in all things, that they ſeem to have nothing but Being, and the Tranſcendental Attributes of that, in common: […]"
"The Divine Underſtanding cannot be the fountain of the Truth of things, &c. This ſeems at firſt ſight to be a very harſh Paradox, and againſt the current Doctrine of Metaphyſicians, vvho define Tranſcendental or Metaphyſical Truth to be nothing elſe but the relation of the Conformity of things to the Theoretical (not Practical) Intellect of God; […] And hence they make Tranſcendental Truth to depend on the Intellectual Truth of God, vvhich alone is moſt properly Truth, and indeed the fountain and origine of all Truth."
"[T]hey do not aſcend into any Inquiry concerning thoſe Tranſcendental Maxims, vvhich influence all the particular Sciences, each Part vvhereof, Mathematics not excepted, does conſequently participate of the Errors involved in them."

Etymology

The adjective is a learned borrowing from Medieval Latin transcendentālis + English -al (suffix meaning of or relating to forming adjectives; and forming nouns, especially of verbal action). Transcendentālis is derived from Latin trānscendentem + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship); and trānscendentem is the accusative singular form of trānscendēns (“exceeding, surpassing, transcending”), the present active participle of trānscendō (“to climb, cross, pass, or step over; to exceed, surpass, transcend”), from trāns- (prefix meaning ‘across; beyond; through’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *terh₂- (“to cross over; to overcome; to pass through”)) + scandō (“to ascend, climb; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to ascend; to jump up”)). The noun is derived from the adjective.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Prefix: -al
Root: *terh₂-, trānscendentem, *skend-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌtɹænˌ(t)sɛnˈdɛntl̩/
British English: /ˌtɹæn(t)s(ɛ)nˈdɛntl̩/

Usage

Obsolete

Inflected Forms

more transcendental (comparative) most transcendental (superlative) transcendentals (plural)

Derived Forms

nontranscendental semitranscendental supertranscendental transcendentalise transcendentalize transcendentalism transcendentality transcendentally transcendentalness transseries untranscendental

Phrases

purely transcendental transcendental critique transcendental ego transcendental function transcendental idealism transcendental materialism transcendental meditation transcendental number

Frequently Paired Words

transcend transcendence transcendency transcendent transcendently

Synonyms

surpassing transcendent superrational transcendentalist nonnatural otherworldly preternatural

Antonyms

algebraic

Rhymes With

mental environmental fundamental experimental gentle dental rental continental instrumental non-governmental accidental parental

Questions

How do you pronounce transcendental?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌtɹænˌ(t)sɛnˈdɛntl̩/.
What does transcendental mean?: Synonym of transcendent (“surpassing usual limits; excelling; extraordinary”).
Where does transcendental come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce transcendental

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “transcendental”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌtɹænˌ(t)sɛnˈdɛntl̩/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “transcendental”.
Repeat and practice — Say “transcendental” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.