provisory

American  

[pruh-vahy-zuh-ree] / prəˈvaɪ zə ri /

adjective

1. containing a proviso or condition; conditional.

2. provisional.

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provisory British  

/ prəˈvaɪzərɪ /

adjective

1. containing a proviso; conditional

2. another word for provisional

3. making provision

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Other Word Forms

• provisorily
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of provisory

1605–15; < Medieval Latin prōvīsōrius, equivalent to Latin prōvid-, stem of prōvidēre to provide + -tōrius -tory ¹, with dt > s

Explanation

Anything that's provisory is dependent on certain conditions. Your provisory agreement to take your sister to the zoo for the day depends on her agreeing to buy you lunch. When a statement or agreement is described as provisory, that means it has certain qualifications attached to it. In other words, you'll do something, but only if a condition is met. A provisory college acceptance letter might state that it depends on your grades for the final semester of your senior year. The qualification or condition itself is known as a proviso.

Example Sentences

M. de Ternary notified us of his recall on the 17th of May, and delivered the letter of the Provisory Executive Council to that effect.

From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 3 by Randolph, Thomas Jefferson

I had sent to the President, yesterday, draughts of a letter from him to the Provisory Executive Council of France, and of one from myself to Mr. Ternant, both on the occasion of his recall.

From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 4 by Randolph, Thomas Jefferson