The Prefix Trans- (Definitions, 52 Examples, Video, PDF)

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. 

Source

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. 

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

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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