provisional

[ pruh-vizh-uh-nl ]

adjective

1. providing or serving for the time being only; existing only until permanently or properly replaced; temporary:

   a provisional government.

   Synonyms: pro tempore, ad interim, stopgap, short-term, interim

2. accepted or adopted tentatively; conditional; contingent.

   Synonyms: probationary, dependent

3. (usually initial capital letter) of or being the wing of the Irish Republican Army that follows a policy of violence.

noun

1. Philately. a stamp that serves temporarily, pending the appearance of the regular issue, or during a temporary shortage of the regular stamps.
2. a provisional member of a group.
3. Usually Provisional. a member of the Provisional wing of the Irish Republican Army.

Provisional

¹

/ prəˈvɪʒənəl /

adjective

1. of, designating, or relating to the unofficial factions of the IRA and Sinn Féin that became increasingly dominant following a split in 1969. The Provisional movement remained committed to a policy of terrorism until its ceasefires of the mid-1990s

noun

1. Also calledProvo a member of the Provisional IRA or Sinn Féin

provisional

²

/ prəˈvɪʒənəl; prəˈvɪʒənərɪ /

adjective

1. subject to later alteration; temporary or conditional

   a provisional decision

noun

1. a postage stamp surcharged during an emergency to alter the stamp's denomination or significance until a new or regular issue is printed

Derived Forms

• proˈvisionally, adverb

Other Words From

• pro·vision·ali·ty pro·vision·al·ness noun
• pro·vision·al·ly adverb
• nonpro·vision·al adjective
• nonpro·vision·al·ly adverb
• nonpro·vision·ary adjective
• unpro·vision·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of provisional¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; provision + -al ¹

Example Sentences

At the inquest in Northampton, senior coroner Anne Pember said the provisional cause of death was "manual strangulation pending toxicology and histology".

From BBC

Erin Griffiths, 16, can get her provisional licence next year but said she already has anxiety and is planning to put off lessons.

From BBC

That program has allowed more than 800,000 asylum seekers from across the globe to enter the United States with provisional status after interviews at U.S. border posts.

From Los Angeles Times

Earlier this month, the justices let stand a Pennsylvania court decision that allowed voters with botched mail-in ballots to cast provisional ballots in person, which Finkelstein said was reassuring.

From Salon

Also, if you show up at your polling place, you can vote with a provisional ballot, according to the state.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• conditional
• interim
• temporary
• transitional