transcendental

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*skend-“to ascend; to jump up”
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*terh₂-“to cross over; to overcome; to pass through”
3. Latin · derived fromtrānscendentem
4. Medieval Latin · learned borrowing fromtranscendentālis
5. English todaytranscendental

The adjective is a learned borrowing from Medieval Latin transcendentālis + English -al (suffix meaning of or relating to forming adjectives; and forming nouns, especially of verbal action). Transcendentālis is derived from Latin trānscendentem + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship); and trānscendentem is the accusative singular form of trānscendēns (“exceeding, surpassing, transcending”), the present active participle of trānscendō (“to climb, cross, pass, or step over; to exceed, surpass, transcend”), from trāns- (prefix meaning ‘across; beyond; through’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *terh₂- (“to cross over; to overcome; to pass through”)) + scandō (“to ascend, climb; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to ascend; to jump up”)). The noun is derived from the adjective.

Words from the same roots