What does emergent mean?
Emergent is an adjective describing something that is newly coming into being, becoming visible, or rising to prominence. It is widely used in formal writing about developing economies, nations, industries, and technologies — an emergent middle class, for instance, is one just taking shape on the world stage. The word also carries a specialised meaning in the sciences and philosophy: an emergent property is a characteristic of a complex system, such as consciousness in the brain or traffic jams on a motorway, that arises from the interaction of many simpler parts but cannot be predicted from any single part alone. Derived from the Latin verb emergere, "to rise out or up," it shares roots with emerge and immerse. Its connotations are largely positive, suggesting growth, vitality, and new possibility, which makes it a favourite of journalists and policymakers alike.
In the process of coming into being or becoming prominent; newly arising.
"Voters responded enthusiastically to the emergent reform movement."
Often used attributively before a noun, as in emergent technology or emergent democracy.
Relating to a property of a complex system that arises from the interaction of its components but is not present in or predictable from the individual components.
"Life is often described as an emergent property of chemistry."
A technical sense used chiefly in complexity science, systems theory, and philosophy of mind.
In complexity science, "emergent" names one of nature's strangest tricks: how simple parts following simple rules can produce something — consciousness, ant colonies, cities — that no part alone contains.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of emergent
Emergent derives from the Latin verb emergere, formed from e- ("out of") and mergere ("to dip, plunge"), meaning "to rise out of." It entered English in the early 17th century, initially carrying the literal sense of rising from a liquid or surrounding medium before acquiring its modern figurative sense of newly arising into prominence. It shares this Latin root with immerse, submerge, and the noun emersion.
Related word forms
How emergent is actually used
Formal to neutral register; common in academic, scientific, political, and economic writing. In complexity theory and philosophy, "emergent" has a precise technical meaning distinct from its everyday sense of "newly appearing."
Easily confused with emergent
"Emerging" simply describes something in the process of coming forth (an emerging market), while "emergent" can also carry the technical sense of properties that arise unpredictably from a complex system as a whole.