Prijelaz

Prijelaz is a noun in Croatian and other South Slavic languages meaning transition, changeover, or passage from one state, condition, or place to another. It denotes a process or moment of moving from an initial situation to a resulting one and can be used in both concrete and abstract contexts. The term is common in everyday language as well as in technical disciplines to describe a change that is typically defined in time or state.

In science and engineering, prijelaz refers to transitions between states or levels. In physics and chemistry, an electronic prijelaz describes a change of an electron between energy levels, usually accompanied by absorption or emission of a photon. A fazni prijelaz denotes a change between different states of matter, such as solid to liquid or liquid to gas. In computer science and systems theory, a prijelaz stanja describes the transition of a system from one operational state to another during the execution of a process.

In other contexts, prijelaz can describe changes in social or administrative arrangements, such as a transition between governments, policies, or organizational phases, often implying a period of change management.

Etymology: the word derives from Slavic roots associated with passing over or moving from one state to another; it is related to terms such as tranzicija and prelaz, but is used where a transition, rather than a physical crossing, is emphasized. See also: tranzicija, prelaz, fazni prijelaz, elektronski prijelaz.