Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In grammar, the case expressing direction toward. Also called terminalis.
  • Of or pertaining to transition; containing, involving, or denoting transition; changing; passing: as, the transitional stages of a tadpole; the transitional plumage of a molting bird.
  • In biology, of intermediate or intergraded character between two or more species, genera, etc., and thus, as it were, exhibiting or illustrating a transition from one to another form of organic life; transmutational: as, a transitional specimen; also, pertaining to or effecting such transmutation: as, a transitional theory; a transitional process.
  • Specifically, in art, relating to, characterizing, or belonging to an epoch or stage of change from one style or state of development to the next succeeding, and especially to that between archaism and full development in Greek art, and to that between the Romanesque and the Pointed in medieval art.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to transition; involving or denoting transition.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective of, or relating to a transition
  • adjective temporary; pending the implementation of something new

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to or characterized by transition

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From transitition (from Latin transitio 'transition', from transitus, the past participle of transire 'to transit', itself from trans- 'across' + ire 'to go, pass') + -al

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Examples

  • The coming rains are spurring aid groups, the international community and the Haitian government to focus on building what they call transitional housing.

    Housing Designer Finds Opportunity In Haiti's Crisis 2010

  • So, he ` d have to have what we call transitional objects.

    CNN Transcript Jan 11, 2008 2008

  • UES has made repeated assurances that what it calls a transitional period will be launched in July, deregulating a quarter of capacity contracts until 2011, when the remainder will also be fully liberalized.

    Some European Energy Companies 2008

  • And when I was in the rehabilitation center, when I had transferred to what they called their transitional center, which is a home-like situation where you don't need the constant supervision of the hospital, they moved in a cubicle for me, like I had had at work and it had a computer and a phone and a fax machine and what we called then a quotron (ph), that was the pre-Bloomberg days

    CNN Transcript May 3, 2003 2003

  • And when I was in the rehabilitation center, when I had transferred to what they called their transitional center, which is a home-like situation where you don't need the constant supervision of the hospital, they moved in a cubicle for me, like I had had at work and it had a computer and a phone and a fax machine and what we called then a quotron (ph), that was the pre-Bloomberg days

    CNN Transcript Apr 23, 2003 2003

  • 'From a technical perspective, the DJIA and the S&P 500 remain in the middle of what we call a transitional zone, or consolidation range, after spending months solidly entrenched in a well defined and statistically stable uptrend channel,' said Fred Dickson, chief market strategist at Davidson Cos. in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

    FinanzNachrichten.de: Aktuelle Nachrichten 2010

  • 'From a technical perspective, the DJIA and the S&P 500 remain in the middle of what we call a transitional zone, or consolidation range, after spending months solidly entrenched in a well defined and statistically stable uptrend channel,' said Fred Dickson, chief market strategist at Davidson Cos. in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

    FinanzNachrichten.de: Aktuelle Nachrichten 2010

  • Thus, FH and others have come up with a partial solution to this dilemma: "They are changing these very temporary shelters to what they call transitional shelters that can last up to five years ... and they can withstand category two hurricanes," Winterstein said.

    Mission Network News Headlines 2010

  • Thus, FH and others have come up with a partial solution to this dilemma: "They are changing these very temporary shelters to what they call transitional shelters that can last up to five years ... and they can withstand category two hurricanes," Winterstein said.

    Mission Network News Headlines 2010

  • Almost as he spoke, Rajoelina was parading triumphantly through the capital surrounded by armed soldiers and an adoring crowd after seizing control of one of the city's presidential palaces and taking the oath of office there as president of what he called a transitional authority.

    unknown title 2009

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