Temporary
/ˈtɛm.pər.ɛr.i/noun
Lasting or intended to last for only a limited time.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin *temporarius*, and its deeper root is tied to the idea of a fitting or proper season, so “temporary” originally carried the sense of something bound to the right moment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*temp-
“to stretch, apportion, or measure out”
Latin
Latin
tempus
“time, season, a proper time”
Latin
Latin
temporarius
“of time; lasting only for a time”
Late Latin
LL
temporārius
“temporary, transient”
Middle English
ME
temporarie
“lasting for a limited time”
Modern English
English
temporary
“lasting for only a limited time”