This adjective comes directly from the late Latin “immanent,” meaning “remaining within.” “Immanent” is easily confused with “imminent” and “eminent” since they all sound similar, but each has a distinct usage. “Imminent” refers to something happening soon, while “eminent” describes something that stands out prominently. “Immanent” is an adjective for an inherent quality. For example, the warmth of the sun is an immanent quality, as is hardness in a diamond. These attributes are fundamental to the object.