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Presence or operation within someone or something. Total "within-ness." As an operation, an immanent act begins within and remains within the person whom it perfects in the process. Thus acts of reflection and love are immanent acts of a human being. They may, of course, have effects outside the mind and will, but essentially they arise within and stay within the faculties by which they are produced. (Etym. Latin immanere, to remain in, hold to.)
All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.