Time & Change Vocabulary

lasting for a very short time

“Fame can be ephemeral in the age of social media.”

Origin: Greek ephemeros `lasting only a day` from epi `upon` + hemera `day`

lasting only for a short time; impermanent

“The transient nature of youth is often lamented.”

Origin: Latin transire `to go across, pass` from trans- `across` + ire `to go`

lasting for a very short time

“She caught only a fleeting glimpse of the rare bird.”

Origin: Old English fleotan `to float, drift` from Proto-Germanic fleutanan

soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence

“The evanescent beauty of cherry blossoms symbolizes life's brevity.”

Origin: Latin evanescere `to vanish` from e- `out` + vanescere `to vanish` from vanus `empty`

lasting for a very short time; brief

“There was a momentary silence before the applause began.”

Origin: Latin momentum `movement, moving power, moment` from movere `to move`

never ending or changing; occurring repeatedly

“The perpetual motion machine is a physical impossibility.”

Origin: Latin perpetualis `continuous` from perpetuus `continuous, universal` from per- `through` + petere `to go to, seek`

lasting for an indefinite time; enduring

“Immigration remains a perennial political issue.”

Origin: Latin perennis `lasting through the year` from per- `through` + annus `year`

unchanging over time or unable to be changed

“The laws of physics are considered immutable.”

Origin: Latin immutabilis `unchangeable` from in- `not` + mutabilis `changeable` from mutare `to change`

making marks that cannot be removed; unforgettable

“The war left an indelible mark on the nation's psyche.”

Origin: Latin indelibilis from in- `not` + delere `to delete, destroy`

unable to be erased or forgotten

“The ineffaceable memory haunted him for years.”

Origin: French ineffaçable from in- `not` + effacer `to erase` from Latin ex- `out` + facies `face, form`

a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists

“Only vestiges of the ancient civilization remain.”

Origin: French vestige from Latin vestigium `footprint, trace`

a small remaining quantity; a surviving trace

“The remnants of dinner sat on the table.”

Origin: Old French remanant `remaining` from Latin remanere `to remain` from re- `back` + manere `to stay`

an object surviving from an earlier time; something outdated

“The typewriter is a relic of the pre-digital age.”

Origin: Latin reliquiae `remains` from relinquere `to leave behind` from re- `back` + linquere `to leave`

old-fashioned or outdated

“The antiquated laws needed urgent reform.”

Origin: Latin antiquatus `made old` from antiquare `to make old` from antiquus `ancient` from ante `before`

very old or old-fashioned

“The archaic language made the text difficult to understand.”

Origin: Greek arkhaikos `old-fashioned` from arkhaios `ancient` from arkhe `beginning`

just beginning to develop; emerging

“The nascent technology showed great promise.”

Origin: Latin nascens `being born` from nasci `to be born`

in an initial stage; beginning to develop

“The incipient rebellion was quickly suppressed.”

Origin: Latin incipiens `beginning` from incipere `to begin` from in- `in, on` + capere `to take`

in a rudimentary stage with potential for development

“The idea was still embryonic and needed refinement.”

Origin: Greek embruon `young one` from en `in` + bruein `to swell, grow`

beginning to grow or increase rapidly

“The burgeoning tech industry transformed the city.”

Origin: Old French burjon `bud, shoot` possibly from Latin burra `wool, fluff`

no longer produced or used; out of date

“The technology became obsolete within five years.”

Origin: Latin obsoletus `worn out, gone out of use` from obsolescere `to fall into disuse` from ob- `away` + solere `to be accustomed`

lasting or existing forever; without end or beginning

“Some believe in the eternal nature of the soul.”

Origin: Latin aeternalis `eternal` from aeternus `eternal` from aevum `age, lifetime`

existing or occurring at the same time

“The dancers moved in synchronous harmony.”

Origin: Greek sunkhronos `contemporaneous` from sun- `together` + khronos `time`