transcendant

Transcendant is an English adjective that serves as an alternate spelling of transcendent. It denotes something that goes beyond ordinary limits, experience, or comprehension. In philosophy and theology, the transcendent refers to what lies beyond the range of ordinary experience, often contrasted with the immanent, which is present within the world. In everyday usage, it can describe a quality, experience, or object that seems to surpass ordinary existence or understanding.

The form derives from Latin transcendere, to climb across; English derivatives include transcend, transcendent, and transcendental. Transcendant is now far less common and is generally encountered in older texts or as a variant in regional spellings. In modern standard English, transcendent is the preferred spelling, while transcendental is used for related but distinct senses involving the conditions of knowledge or mathematical objects.

In religious contexts, the transcendent refers to the divine or ultimate reality beyond the physical world; in aesthetics, experiences of beauty or meaning may be described as transcendent. The term appears in literary criticism to signal moments of insight or significance that exceed ordinary perception.

Variant spelling: Transcendant remains in use in older texts, some proper names, and some dialects, but is uncommon in contemporary English.