ad hoc

[ ad hok; Latin ahd hohk ]

adverb

1. for the special purpose or end presently under consideration:

   a committee formed ad hoc to deal with the issue.

adjective

1. concerned or dealing with a specific subject, purpose, or end:

   The ad hoc committee disbanded after making its final report.

ad hoc

/ æd ˈhɒk /

adjective

1. for a particular purpose only; lacking generality or justification

   an ad hoc committee

   an ad hoc decision

ad hoc

1. A phrase describing something created especially for a particular occasion: “We need an ad hoc committee to handle this new problem immediately.” From Latin , meaning “toward this (matter).”

Word History and Origins

Origin of ad hoc¹

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin ad hōc “for this, to this”

Word History and Origins

Origin of ad hoc¹

Latin, literally: to this

Idioms and Phrases

For the special purpose or end at hand; also, by extension, improvised or impromptu. The term, Latin for “to this,” is most often used for committees established for a specific purpose, as in The committee was formed ad hoc to address health insurance problems . The term is also used as an adjective ( An ad hoc committee was formed ), and has given rise to the noun adhocism for the tendency to use temporary, provisional, or improvised methods to deal with a particular problem. [Early 1600s]

Example Sentences

Congress keeps funding it ad hoc—but when the GOP takes over the Senate next year, who knows.

From The Daily Beast

An ad hoc network, Bibles, Badges & Business, represents the diversity of the pro-reform lobby.

From The Daily Beast

The ad hoc granular alliances described in Unstoppable promise less but may achieve more.

From The Daily Beast

During the dozen years or so since the R2P concept was formulated, its application has been complicated and ad hoc.

From The Daily Beast

The stones had been pulled up to create ad-hoc fortifications around the Maidan.

From The Daily Beast

Francisco Manrique de Lara, Episcopo, ex vetere ad hoc templum facta translatio xxv.

From Project Gutenberg

An ad hoc bipartisan conference called a session of the Senate and the Senate elected a new president.

From Project Gutenberg

The witnesses against him were two forgers, released ad hoc from prison, his own witnesses were hundreds.

From Project Gutenberg

No elaboration of statute law can forestall variant cases and the need of interpretation ad hoc.

From Project Gutenberg

To establish an international court ad hoc, in the middle of the war, and ask it to settle the new questions as they arise?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• impromptu
• provisional