Agency Dictionary
Transcendence
nounPronunciation: /trænˈsɛn.dəns/
In Portuguese: Transcendência
Spirituality & Myth
Philosophy & EthicsWhat does “Transcendence” mean?
Existence or experience beyond normal physical limits and everyday material reality.
Etymology
From transcend plus the suffix -ence; transcend comes from Latin transcendere, joining trans- ('across, beyond') and scandere ('to climb'). The noun names the state of surpassing or existing beyond ordinary limits, a sense developed in both philosophical and theological writing.
Word family
- transcend
- transcendent
- transcendental
- transcendentalism
Rhymes with
- dependence
- independence
- attendance
Usage examples
Christians may seek transcendence through love, faith and sacrifice.
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- Antithesisnoun
- A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
- Rebirthnoun
- A new beginning after a period of decline or destruction, used in mythology to describe the cyclical return to life after death. In Archetype.0, rebirth is the defining characteristic of both the Bennu and the Phoenix.
- Discursiveadjective
- Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
- Synchronicitynoun
- The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear meaningfully related yet lack a direct causal connection.
- Treatisenoun
- A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
- Maximnoun
- A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
- Self-immolationnoun
- The deliberate destruction of oneself, typically by fire. In Archetype.0, self-immolation is the voluntary act by which the phoenix builds a nest of fragrant spices and woods, ignites itself and is consumed by the flames.
- Immortalitynoun
- The quality of being immune to permanent death, living or enduring beyond a single lifespan. In Archetype.0, immortality is one of the five semiotic attributes of the Phoenix: the flames are not an end but a transition, an essential phase of its immortal existence.
- rhetoricnoun
- The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
- Tangibleadjective
- Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
- Holisticadjective
- Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
- Mjolnirnoun
- In Norse mythology, the hammer of the god Thor, forged by dwarfs and known for its short handle. It is the weapon with which he defends gods and humans.
Also from these editions: terms
- Artisannoun
- A skilled craftsperson who manufactures tangible or digital goods with exceptional manual dexterity and care.
- Chronicadjective
- Persisting for a long period of time or recurring constantly as a deep habit or condition.
- Delusionnoun
- A false belief or opinion maintained despite contrary factual evidence or sound logical reasoning.
- Detachmentnoun
- The state of being emotionally objective, aloof, or free from clingy psychological attachments to outcomes, possessions, or dogmas. In Eastern philosophy, it represents spiritual liberation.
- Electromechanicaladjective
- Combining both electrical and mechanical mechanisms to perform operations or transmit data.
- Frictionnoun
- Resistance encountered when two surfaces or systems interact, or operational resistance hindering user completion of an action in digital interfaces.
- Habitualadjective
- Done by way of habit or regular established custom rather than deliberate reflection.
- Materialistnoun
- A person who adheres to materialism, believing that physical matter is the only reality.
- Monetizeverb
- To convert an activity, audience, digital asset, or service into legal currency or financial revenue.
- Thresholdnoun
- A boundary, doorway, or entry limit that must be crossed or satisfied for an effect or permission to take place.
Also from these editions: concepts
- Ada LovelaceAda Lovelace was an English mathematician of the nineteenth century, known for her notes on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. The Agency editorial names her three…
- BatmanBatman is the DC Comics superhero who protects Gotham City, with Robin as his young partner. The Agency editorial names him in two editions: in the short story of…
- Carl SaganCarl Sagan was an American astronomer and science communicator, the presenter of the series Cosmos and the author of The Demon-Haunted World. The Agency editorial names…
- Uncle BenUncle Ben is a character of Spider-Man, the uncle who raises Peter Parker. In the Agency editorial his line about great power and great responsibility appears twice…
- William GibsonWilliam Gibson is an American-Canadian writer of science fiction, author of the novel Neuromancer. In the Agency editorial, Issue.9 recommends Neuromancer in its…
- Charles BabbageCharles Babbage was an English mathematician and inventor of the nineteenth century, known for designing two calculating machines, the Difference Engine and the…
- Chuck PalahniukChuck Palahniuk is an American novelist, known for Fight Club, published in 1996 and made into a film in 1999. Issue.25 names him once, in the credit of a quotation…
- GroguGrogu is a character of the Star Wars series The Mandalorian, a small child of the same species as Yoda. In the Agency editorial he appears once, in Issue.25, as the…
- The Demon-Haunted WorldThe Demon-Haunted World is a book by Carl Sagan. In Issue.25, the edition cites it as the source of his famous line about grasping the universe as it really is, in a…
- Tyler DurdenTyler Durden is a character of Fight Club, the novel by Chuck Palahniuk that became a film in 1999. In the Agency editorial he appears once, in Issue.25, which says he…
- Attention EconomyThe attention economy is an economic framework treating human attention as a scarce, monetizable commodity competed for by digital platforms, media networks, and…
- Cognitive EmpathyCognitive empathy is the psychological capacity to understand and mentally reconstruct another person's internal perspective, emotions, and worldview. Unlike emotional…