emerging
ih-MUR-jing
/ɪˈmɜːrdʒɪŋ/
Starting to exist, grow, or become prominent and recognized.
Highlights the phase of coming out into view or achieving global prominence, particularly applied to economies or technologies.
The story behind the word. Rooted in Latin 'emergere', which combines 'e-' (out of) and 'mergere' (to plunge or dip). It originally described something rising out of deep water into sunlight, like a swimmer resurfacing. Economists borrowed this metaphor in the late 20th century to describe nations rising above low-income status into global markets.
Word relationships
- developing: Developing focuses on gradual internal improvement, whereas emerging stresses gaining prominent visibility on the global stage.
- nascent: Nascent describes an absolute early beginning stage, while emerging suggests significant visible momentum.
- established: Established refers to long-standing, settled, and mature entities.
- declining: Declining describes entities that are losing influence, power, or volume.
Commonly confused with
- burgeoning: Emerging means appearing on the radar; burgeoning means already expanding rapidly in size.
Word family
- emerge (verb): To come into view or become known.
- emergence (noun): The process of coming into existence or view.
Collocations
- emerging market
- emerging economy
- emerging trend
- emerging technology
Example sentences
- "Foreign direct investment flowed heavily into emerging markets across Southeast Asia and Latin America." International investment report
- "Artificial intelligence is an emerging discipline that is rapidly transforming industrial logistics." Technology forecasting
Memory hook
E-MERGE: Emerging from under the surface like a dolphin breaking water. Emerging = Rising out into view.
When not to use
Do not use for fully mature, long-established systems or ancient structures.
Fun facts
- The term 'emerging markets' was coined in 1981 by Antoine van Agtmael of the International Finance Corporation.
Related words
Explore more words
nascent, promising, prominence, latent, ongoing, developmental
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