temporal

¹ American  

[tem-per-uhl, tem-pruhl] / ˈtɛm pər əl, ˈtɛm prəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to time.

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

   temporal joys.

3. enduring for a time only; temporary; transitory (eternal ).

4. Grammar.

   1. of, relating to, or expressing time.

      a temporal adjective, such as recent, or a temporal adverb, such as recently.

   2. of or relating to the tenses of a verb.

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

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noun

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

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

temporal ² American  

[tem-per-uhl, tem-pruhl] / ˈtɛm pər əl, ˈtɛm prəl /

adjective

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

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noun

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

temporal ¹ British  

/ 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

3. lasting for a relatively short time

4. grammar of or relating to tense or the linguistic expression of time in general

   a temporal adverb

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temporal ² British  

/ ˈtɛmpərəl, ˈtɛmprəl /

adjective

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

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temporal Scientific  

/ tĕm′pər-əl /

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

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Other Word Forms

• temporally adverb
• temporalness noun

Etymology

Origin of temporal¹

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

Origin of temporal²

First recorded in 1535–45; from Late Latin temporālis, equivalent to tempor- (stem of tempus ) temple ² + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

"One of Monaco's distinctive features is a kind of positive secularism, which recognises the legitimate autonomy of the spiritual and temporal spheres," Guillaume Paris, a senior clergyman in Monaco, told AFP.

From Barron's

“That’s temporal. We expect to launch, in the second half of this year, a potentially best-in-class cell therapy for multiple myeloma.”

From Barron's

The assessments measured several types of memory, including verbal, visuospatial, prospective, source, false, episodic content, and temporal order memory.

From Science Daily

"The temporal ratchet mechanism fundamentally alters our view of how cytokinesis works," emphasized Jan Brugués, corresponding author of the study.

From Science Daily

We should not seek ethical guidance from addled entertainers, but we can find insights into our temporal and spiritual condition.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• earthly
• materialistic
• physical
• sensual