Trans-
Origin
From Latin trÄns ("across, on the far side, beyond").
Full definition of trans-
Prefix
- Across, through, over, beyond, to or on the other side of, outside of.
- (chemistry) Describing a compound in which two atoms or groups are situated on opposite sides of some plane of symmetry passing through the compound.
- Note: also used without the hyphen as a pseudo-adjective
- Transgender or transexual, or pertaining to those who are transgender or transsexual.
Usage notes
In the first sense, "on the other side of", this prefix is usually attached directly to the word it modifies, or sometimes separated from it by a hyphen: transrhenane, trans-Neptunian.
In the gender-related sense, this prefix is attached directly to certain words, most notably transgender and transsexual (which are almost always spelled thus, not as e.g. *trans sexual). The prefix is separated from other words by a hyphen or a space (i.e. the related standalone adjective trans is used): hence one speaks of issues facing the trans community and trans rights (not *transrights), etc. In particular, it is now sometimes considered offensive to write transman or trans-man, the preferred spelling being trans man (trans man). Compare cis- and cis.