emergence
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of coming out from a place where you cannot be seen.
the act of rising out of a fluid or coming forth from concealment into view.
Simple“The sudden emergence of the sun from behind the clouds brightened the whole valley.”
In context“The submarine's slow emergence from the depths was marked by a massive displacement of water and a loud mechanical hum.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'from'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the start of something new becoming popular, important, or known to everyone.
the process of becoming visible, important, or prominent within a social, political, or economic context.
Simple“The emergence of new technology has changed how we communicate with our families.”
In context“The emergence of independent city-states in the region fundamentally altered the balance of power during the fourteenth century.”
UsageCommonly followed by 'of' and a noun phrase.
- 03 C1 Advanced
the moment a small plant or part of a plant grows out of the soil.
the process of a seedling or plant part breaking through the surface of the soil or a protective layer.
Simple“Farmers watch for the emergence of the first green shoots in early spring.”
In context“Successful seedling emergence depends heavily on soil temperature and the depth at which the seeds were originally planted.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
a very old word for a sudden, dangerous situation that needs immediate action.
a sudden or unexpected occurrence requiring immediate action; a precursor to the modern sense of 'emergency'.
Simple“In times of great emergence, the king would call his advisors together.”
In context“The chronicler noted that the sudden emergence of the plague left the village elders without any clear plan of action.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is archaic; modern speakers should use 'emergency' instead.
Synonymsexigencycrisis
Usage emergence of complex · emergence of
“Crown eukaryotes, which are among the earliest eukaryotic forms scientists are trying to trace, played a crucial role in the emergence of complex life on Earth.”
“Another billion years passed before the emergence of the first multicellular organisms.”
Borrowed from French émergence. Doublet of emergency. By surface analysis, emerge + -ence.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.