transitionalphase
nounUK /trænˈzɪʃənl feɪz/
US /trænˈzɪʃənl feɪz/
A transitional phase is a time when something is slowly changing from one way to another.
The caterpillar's transitional phase happens inside its cocoon before it becomes a butterfly.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A middle step in a process where old rules still partly apply and new ones are starting.
During the transitional phase of the new law, both old and new forms were accepted.
3. A short period in a person's life between two major roles or situations.
After graduation she entered a transitional phase before starting her first job.
4. A stage in a machine or system's operation when it is moving from one mode to another.
The engine runs quietly during its transitional phase from electric to gas power.