verb
transcend
tran-SEND/trænˈsend/
To rise above or go beyond ordinary limits.
The jumper transcends the previous height limit by clearing the higher bar.
Etymology
The Latin pieces describe climbing over or beyond something. That physical image underlies the abstract meaning: surpassing a limit as though climbing past a barrier.
In context
you transcend yourself. And it brings you into the presence of what's been called God, Nirvana, Rama, Tao. Something that goes beyond what we know in our ego-bound existence.
More examples
- The novel transcends the usual boundaries of its genre.
- Their friendship has transcended political differences for years.
- She hopes to transcend the limits of conventional design.
Forms
transcend · transcends · transcended · transcending
transcendence noun — The state of going beyond ordinary limits.
Similar words
- exceed
- Often refers to going beyond a measurable limit or amount.
- surpass
- Emphasizes being better than someone or something else.