transitional

[ tran-zish-uh-nl, ‐-sish‐ ]

adjective

1. of or relating to a transition from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another: transitional housing for people with serious mental illness.

   transitional governments;

   transitional housing for people with serious mental illness.

Other Words From

• tran·si·tion·al·ly adverb
• non·tran·si·tion·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of transitional¹

First recorded in 1670–80; transition ( def ) + -al ¹( def )

Example Sentences

Prior to the vote, the transitional authorities described it as a crucial step towards the return to constitutional order in the oil-rich country.

From BBC

"The acute and immediate needs of the Haitian people mandate that the transitional government prioritize governance over the competing personal interests of political actors," a statement said.

From BBC

That’s because he reneged on his 2020 campaign promise to be a transitional president and pass the torch to a younger generation.

From Los Angeles Times

Pep Guardiola’s body language provided compelling evidence that he is now facing the closest thing to a crisis since his transitional first season at Manchester City.

From BBC

Some families may have found alternative child-care arrangements, while others have probably enrolled in other publicly funded programs, including transitional kindergarten.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• capricious
• fickle
• fluctuating
• mercurial
• protean
• shifting
• unpredictable
• unsettled
• unstable
• varying
• volatile