An emergent property is an attribute or behavior of a complex system that is constantly evolving, that arises completely independently from the components of the system, and is a product of their interactions. Emergent properties arise spontaneously from the interdependence of the components, and their connection to the environment. These systems are often nonlinear and self-organizing, and may even result in novel and unpredictable behaviors. As such, the emergent property is often considered to be the defining feature or essence of the system.

See also: complexity science, collective intelligence, network dynamics, nonlinear dynamics, systems thinking