Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Transition has 9 different meanings across 2 categories:
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
"The team struggled during their transition period, taking too long to move from defense back to offense."
an event that results in a transformation
"The sudden power outage forced an abrupt transition from our cozy dinner to chaos as everyone scrambled for candles and flashlights."
a change from one place or state or subject or stage to another
"The company is currently in transition as it moves its entire staff from the downtown office to a new facility across town."
a musical passage moving from one key to another
"The pianist added an unexpected chromatic slide during the transition, making the shift from C major to G minor feel surprisingly smooth."
a passage that connects a topic to one that follows
"The speaker used a clever transition to move smoothly from discussing climate change to the impact on local agriculture."
The process of change from one form, state, style or place to another.
"After years in a corporate office, she felt unprepared for the abrupt transition to remote work without any structured training program."
In plain English: A transition is the process of moving from one thing to another.
"The transition from winter to spring brought warmer days and blooming flowers."
Usage: Use this noun when referring specifically to the act or period of changing between two distinct states, styles, or locations rather than just any general shift. It often describes a smooth progression where elements blend together during the move from an old condition to a new one.
cause to convert or undergo a transition
"the company had to transition the old practices to modern technology"
make or undergo a transition (from one state or system to another)
"The airline transitioned to more fuel-efficient jets"
"The adagio transitioned into an allegro"
To make a transition.
"The company hired a consultant to help them transition smoothly from their old software system to the new one."
In plain English: To transition means to move from one thing to another, like changing clothes or shifting from childhood to adulthood.
"The company will transition to remote work next month."
The word transition comes from the Middle French term transition, which was borrowed into English from the Latin transitio. Originally meaning a crossing or passage, it entered English to describe the process of changing from one state to another.