Learning suffixes and prefixes is an awesome way to increase your English vocabulary. The prefix trans- is used in some common English verbs, adjectives, and nouns. This post will teach you everything you need to know about the prefix trans-.
The Prefix trans- is used in adjectives to mean beyond or across
transparent – allowing you to see through it
– Glass is transparent.
and in verbs to mean into another place or state
transport – to take something/somebody from one place to another in a vehicle
– We need a car to transport the books.
Learn many different ways to use the prefix trans- with lots of helpful, natural example sentences. Keep reading.
The Prefix Trans- Meaning
The prefix trans- means across or beyond in adjectives.
Transatlantic = Across the Atlantic Ocean.
- The luxury cruise ship made its first transatlantic Journey in 2009.
- The airline just added three new transatlantic routes to its winter schedule.
Transcontinental = Across a continent.
- The transcontinental railway is important to the economy. It allows goods to be shipped easily to distant locations.
- Environmental activists are trying to stop the gas company from building a transcontinental pipeline through protected areas.
The prefix trans- means into another place or state in verbs.
Transplant = To take someone’s organ, skin, etc. and put it into or onto another person
- New medical technology allows doctors to transplant organs into older patients with great success.
- Surgeons successfully transplanted a new kidney into Murray last week. He is no longer diabetic.
Transform = To change the form of something
- The real estate company transformed an old factory into modern apartments and condominiums.
- I just bought my son a toy car that transforms into a robot. He loves it.
Prefix trans- Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
Prefix TRANS- word origin
This prefix comes from the Latin word trans which means across.
The Word Trans As An Adjective
The adjective trans means having a gender identity that does not match the sex a person was said to have at birth
- Elliot Page is a Canadian trans actor. He is known for movies like Juno and Inception and the popular Netflix show The Umbrella Academy.
The Prefix Trans- (Verbs)
transact – to do business with a person or an organization
- They don’t teach you how to transact with customers in Business School. This is something you have to learn from experience.
transcend – to be or go beyond the usual limits of something
- His paintings transcended any of the work being done by other painters in his time.
transcribe – to record thoughts, speech or data in a written form, or in a different written form from the original
- They are creating software that can transcribe voice messages from your phone.
transfer – 1. to move from one place to another; to move something/somebody from one place to another
- I transferred $2,000 from my savings account to my chequing account.
2. to move from one job, school, situation, etc. to another; to arrange for somebody to move
- My father transferred a lot for his job so my family was always moving. I went to 6 different schools in my life before I started University.
3. to copy information, music, an idea, etc. from one method of recording or presenting it to another; to be recorded or presented in a different way
- I transferred all the important data onto a USB drive for insurance.
4. to officially arrange for something to belong to somebody else or for somebody else to control something
- He transferred ownership of the property to his son.
5. to send a phone call that you have received to another phone number
- My call was transferred to human resources 15 minutes ago. I’m still on hold.
transfigure – to change the appearance of a person or thing so that they look more beautiful
- The early morning sunshine transfigured her face into an angel.
transfix – to make somebody unable to move because they are afraid, surprised, etc.
- I saw her step out of the limo and I was transfixed by her beauty.
transform – 1. to change the form of something; to change in form
- The real estate company transformed the old factory into modern apartments and condominiums.
2. to completely change the appearance or character of something/somebody, especially so that it is better; to completely change in appearance or character
- The experience transformed Steven’s life.
transfuse – to put new blood into the body of a person or an animal
- The doctor needed to transfuse new blood into the patient after the accident.
transgress – to go beyond the limit of what is morally or legally acceptable
- The primitive people punished anyone who transgressed against their Moon God.
transit – to pass across or through an area
- Hundreds of planes transit in and out of the terminal every day.
translate – 1. to express the meaning of speech or writing in a different language
- They asked me to translate the message into English.
transmit – to send an electronic signal, radio or television broadcast, etc.
- The signal was being transmitted from a satellite in space.
transmogrify – to change somebody/something completely, especially in a surprising way
*This is not a common word at all! I included it in this list because of my favorite newspaper comic strip ‘Calvin and Hobbes.’
It’s a comic strip about a boy (Calvin) and his stuffed tiger (Hobbes) who comes to life in Calvin’s imagination.
They built a machine called a transmogrifier from a cardboard box. The machine could turn one thing into another in Calvin’s imagination.
transmute – to change, or make something change, into something different
- At one time people tried to transmute lead into gold. This is impossible.
transpire – 1. if it transpires that something has happened or is true, it is known or has been shown to be true
- What he told the police, it later transpired, was a lie.
2. [intransitive] to happen
- I arrive at the airport 3 hours before my flight so I could check my bags early. What transpired next is unbelievable.
transplant – 1. to take an organ, skin, etc. from one person, animal, part of the body, etc. and put it into or onto another
- Surgeons successfully transplanted a new kidney into Murray last week. He is no longer diabetic.
2. to move a growing plant and plant it somewhere else
- I transplanted some roses from my back garden to the flower pot in front of my house.
transport – 1. to take something/somebody from one place to another in a vehicle
- This train transports seeds and grain across the country.
2. to make somebody feel that they are in a different place, time or situation
- I loved to read when I was in elementary school. The books transported me to many different magical worlds.
transpose – 1. to change the order of two or more things
- A few of the words got transposed so we have to print the document again.
2. to move or change something to a different place or environment or into a different form
- The director reimagined the story and transposed the characters from the 17th century to modern times.
The Prefix Trans- (Adjectives)
transatlantic – crossing the Atlantic Ocean
- The luxury cruise ship made its first transatlantic Journey in 2009.
Five hundred years before Columbus, a daring band of Vikings led by Leif Eriksson crossed the Atlantic Ocean to North America and established a settlement.
Vikings is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) Source
transcendent – going beyond the usual limits; extremely great
- Carol is an excellent chef. Her cooking skills are transcendent.
transcontinental – crossing a continent
- The transcontinental railway is an important part of the economy. It allows goods to be shipped easily to distant locations.
transferable – that can be moved from one place, person or use to another
- I’m sorry, this coupon is from another store. It’s not transferable.
*The opposite is often written as the compound adjective non-transferable.
- I’m sorry, this coupon is from another store. It’s non-transferable.
Learn more ways to use NO, NONE, and NON at my helpful post here > Worldenglishblog.com/no-none-and-non/
transgender – describing or relating to people whose gender identity does not match the sex they were said to have at birth *See also transsexual
- The university is installing transgender bathrooms.
transient – 1. continuing for only a short time
- The cherry tree blossoms bloom for just a few weeks before they’re gone. It reminds us of the transient nature of all things.
2. staying or working in a place for only a short time, before moving on
- Farmers sometimes hire transient workers to help them pick their crops in the fall.
transitional – connected with the process of changing from one state or condition to another
- The citizens created a transitional government until a new mayor could be elected.
transitive – (grammar) (of verbs) used with a direct object
- RAISE is a transitive verb so it must be followed directly by an object.
Would you like to learn more about transitive and intransitive verbs? Visit my helpful post here > Worldenglishblog.com/transitive-and-intransitive-verbs/
transitory – continuing for only a short time
- All feelings, good and bad, are transitory. You should appreciate the happy times when they are here and understand that the sad times will eventually pass.
transpacific – crossing or extending across the Pacific Ocean
- Transpacific airfare prices increase during typhoon season.
transparent – allowing you to see through it
- The smartphone has a transparent back panel so you can see inside the phone.
transverse – in a position or direction that is at an angle of 90° to something else
- The surgeon made a transverse incision (cut) below the patient’s ribcage.
The Prefix Trans- (Nouns)
Most of the nouns in this list come from adding a suffix to the end of a verb form.
| transform | -ation | transformation |
| transcend | -ence | transcendence |
| transcribe | -tion | transcription |
| transition | -al | transitional |
For more examples of the suffix -al check out my great blog post here >
Worldenglishblog.com/the-suffix-al/
transaction – a piece of business that is done between people, especially an act of buying or selling
- The manager’s company credit card had a few suspicious transactions last month.
transcendence – the ability to go beyond the usual limits; existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level
- Victoria experienced a kind of transcendence during her spiritual retreat in the mountains. She felt her spirit leave her body at one point.
transcript – a written or printed copy of words that have been spoken
- I couldn’t attend the meeting so my secretary emailed me a transcript of what was talked about.
transference – the process of moving something from one place, person or use to another
- In cold weather survival situations, people need to stay close together. The transference of heat can help keep people warm and alive.
transformation – a complete change in somebody/something
- Over the summer Jim grew 11 cm, gained 4 kg of muscle, and started to grow a mustache. He had a complete transformation.
transformer – a device for reducing or increasing the voltage of an electric power supply, usually to allow a particular piece of electrical equipment to be used
- Repairmen came to fix the damaged transformer and bring electricity back to the neighborhood.
Transformer. (2022, September 27). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformer
transfusion – the process of putting new blood into the body of a person or an animal
- Blood transfusions save thousands of lives every year. Source
The first blood transfusion happened in 1666 in England.
transgression – an act that goes beyond the limits of what is morally or legally acceptable
- People were growing tired of Max’s constant transgressions.
transgressor – a person who goes beyond the limit of what is morally or legally acceptable
- Sometimes society’s worst transgressors are just people who need help and support.
transient – a person who stays or works in a place for only a short time, before moving on
- Farmers sometimes hire foreign workers and other transients to help them pick their crops in the fall.
transistor – a small electronic device used in computers, radios, televisions, etc. for controlling an electric current as it passes along a circuit
- My old radio stopped working last week. I need to buy a new transistor.
Transistor. (2022, September 27). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transistor
transit – 1. the process of being moved or carried from one place to another
- I think Amazon needs to hire more responsible drivers. Many products get damaged in transit.
Here are 4 compound words with TRANSIT
| mass transit [uncountable] (North American English) the system of public transport in cities, including the subway, buses, etc. rapid transit [uncountable] (especially North American English) the system of fast public transport in cities, especially the subway transit camp a camp that provides temporary accommodation for refugees public transit noun [uncountable] (North American English) *The same as mass transit the system of public transport in cities, including the subway, buses, etc. |
transition – 1. the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another
- Some students have a hard time making the transition from school to full-time work.
2. the process of starting to live your life as a person of a different sex, to match your gender identity
- Allen’s family was supportive of his transition to become Allison.
translation – the process of changing something that is written or spoken into another language
- I laugh when I see strange English translations on Japanese signs, but I know they’re trying. The signs are there to help foreigners in Japan so I appreciate that.
translator – a person who translates writing or speech into a different language, especially as a job
- My friend Paul works as a French translator for a big European trading company.
transmission – the act or process of passing something from one person, place or thing to another
- Many places set up social distancing guidelines to limit the transmission of the virus.
transmitter – a piece of equipment used for sending electronic signals, especially radio or television signals
- My grandfather has an old radio transmitter from when he served in the army in the 1960s. It still works but I think there’s no one who can pick up the signal. The technology is too old.
transparency – 1. the quality of something, such as a situation or an argument, that makes it easy to understand
- Citizens demand transparency from the government. I want to see what is happening very clearly.
2. the quality of something, such as glass, that allows you to see through it
- The glass on the windows is frosted to prevent people from seeing inside. There is very little transparency in the glass.
Frosted glass. (2022, April 3). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frosted_glass
transplant – 1. a medical operation in which a damaged organ, etc. is replaced with one from another person
- Kelly went to the hospital for a kidney transplant.
transponder – a device that receives a radio signal and then sends out a different signal in reply
- The bank employee slipped a transponder into the bag of money so they could track it after the robbers took it from a building.
- A transponder lets you quickly and easily access electronic toll highways.
This is a transponder for the ETR (Express Toll Route), a highway that runs through Toronto Ontario, Canada. It’s small and can fit on your car dashboard.
Transponder. (2022, July 18). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transponder
Did you know? The term is a blend of transmitter and responder. SOURCE
transport – 1. a system for carrying people or goods from one place to another using vehicles, roads, etc.
- Countries that produce oil need a good transport system to sell to the global market.
2. [uncountable] a vehicle or method of travel
- In Japan, my bicycle is my main mode of transport. I ride it everywhere.
3. the activity or business of carrying goods from one place to another using truck, trains, etc.
- The company invested in some modern trucks to reduce the number of products damaged during transport.
transvestite – a person, especially a man, who enjoys dressing in clothes usually worn by the opposite sex
- The show had many transvestite performers playing the roles of some famous female singers and actresses.
Printable Prefix Trans- PDF
Download a 6-page PDF with the content from this post at the link below.
This is a list of common words that use the prefix trans, but it is not a complete list! If you can think of any words with this prefix that I left out, please tell me in the comments!
Also, let me know if there are electronic toll roads in your country.
Find more GREAT Prefix/Suffix posts below!
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