temporal

1
[ tem-per-uhl, tem-pruhl ]
See synonyms for temporal on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of or relating to time.

  2. pertaining to or concerned with the present life or this world; worldly: temporal joys.

  1. enduring for a time only; temporary; transitory (opposed to eternal).

  2. Grammar.

    • of, relating to, or expressing time: a temporal adjective, such as recent, or a temporal adverb, such as recently.

    • of or relating to the tenses of a verb.

  3. secular, lay, or civil, as opposed to ecclesiastical.

nounUsually temporals .
  1. a temporal possession, estate, or the like; temporality.

  2. something that is temporal; a temporal matter or affair.

Origin of temporal

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (adjective and noun) from Latin temporālis, equivalent to tempor- (stem of tempus ) “time” + -ālis adjective suffix; see -al1

Other words from temporal

  • tem·po·ral·ly, adverb
  • tem·po·ral·ness, noun

Words Nearby temporal

Other definitions for temporal (2 of 2)

temporal2
[ tem-per-uhl, tem-pruhl ]

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or situated near the temple or a temporal bone.

noun
  1. any of several parts in the temporal region, especially the temporal bone.

Origin of temporal

2
First recorded in 1535–45; from Late Latin temporālis, equivalent to tempor- (stem of tempus ) temple2 + -ālis-al1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use temporal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for temporal (1 of 2)

temporal1

/ (ˈtɛmpərəl, ˈtɛmprəl) /


adjective
  1. of or relating to time

  2. of or relating to secular as opposed to spiritual or religious affairs: the lords spiritual and temporal

  1. lasting for a relatively short time

  2. grammar of or relating to tense or the linguistic expression of time in general: a temporal adverb

Origin of temporal

1
C14: from Latin temporālis, from tempus time

Derived forms of temporal

  • temporally, adverb
  • temporalness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for temporal (2 of 2)

temporal2

/ (ˈtɛmpərəl, ˈtɛmprəl) /


adjective
  1. anatomy of, relating to, or near the temple or temples

Origin of temporal

2
C16: from Late Latin temporālis belonging to the temples; see temple ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for temporal

temporal

[ tĕmpər-əl ]


  1. Relating to or near the bones that form the sides and part of the base of the skull.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.