'Transient' has 2 meanings: 1- transient = temporary = continuing or lasting for only a short time 'a transient moment of happiness' 'a transient relief of pain' 'a transient beauty' 2- transient = staying or working in a place for only a short time, before moving on 'a city with a large transient population (= of students, temporary workers, etc.)'

"Transient" = an event which is passing (Latin: 'across', beyond') "Temporary"= for a short period of time (Latin again: 'time' season') So 'transient' has the feeling of motion, whereas 'temporary' has the feeling of a situation which may change soon.

"Transient" pertains to things in a state of transition, like "transitory," but is slightly different. It's said of things that are both of short duration (like 'temporary') and are likely to re-occur. For example, mail servers often talk about "Transient delivery errors," when mail can, temporarily, not be delivered (errors that come and go, as it were, like DNS errors).* "Transient" can also be said of people in transit, like boarders and such. -- * We speak of 'transient' errors in this case, because 'temporary' just indicates errors that are of short duration, whereas 'transient' errors has the added meaning of recurrence: like errors that pop up a while, go away, then briefly re-appear again, etc.

Temporary refers to: 1.Not permanent; not lasting "a temporary arrangement"; "temporary housing" 2.Lacking continuity or regularity "employed on a temporary basis" Transient refers to. 1.Of a mental act; causing effects outside the mind 2.Lasting a very short time "youth's transient beauty" cowboy...