temporal

[tem-per-uh l, tem-pruh l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR temporal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or relating to time.

pertaining to or concerned with the present life or this world; worldly: temporal joys.

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

Grammar.

of, relating to, or expressing time: a temporal adjective, such as recent, or a temporal adverb, such as recently.
of or relating to the tenses of a verb.

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

noun Usually temporals.

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

something that is temporal; a temporal matter or affair.

Origin of temporal

1300–50; Middle English (adj. and noun) < Latin temporālis, equivalent to tempor- (stem of tempus) time + -ālis -al¹

Related formstem·po·ral·ly, adverbtem·po·ral·ness, noun

temporal

[tem-per-uh l, tem-pruh l]Anatomy, Zoology

adjective

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

noun

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

Origin of temporal

1535–45; < Late Latin temporālis, equivalent to tempor- (stem of tempus) temple² + -ālis -al¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for temporal

materialistic, sensual, earthly, physical, transitory, secular, lay, mortal, ephemeral, passing, transient, temporary, fugitive, carnal, civil, earthy, fleshly, mundane, profane, terrestrial

Examples from the Web for temporal

Contemporary Examples of temporal

Naturalism tells us that mystics had temporal lobe epilepsy.
Eben Alexander Has a GPS for Heaven
Patricia Pearson
October 8, 2014
Re-reading your own work, especially at some temporal distance, is a dangerous business.
Kerouac Biographer Gets Back on the Road
Dennis McNally
October 2, 2014
Compulsive writing, or hypergraphia, is a well-known, if uncommon, symptom of temporal lobe epilepsy.
The Seizure Medication That Turns You Into a Poet
Cat Ferguson
September 12, 2014
But a drug like lamotrigine is not selective, and so it also affects the behavior of the rest of the temporal lobe.
The Seizure Medication That Turns You Into a Poet
Cat Ferguson
September 12, 2014
The temporal judgment regarding the bothers was guilty, and both were sentenced to death.
How the North Carolina GOP Made a Wrongfully Convicted Man a Death Row Scapegoat
Michael Daly
September 4, 2014

Historical Examples of temporal

The Pharisees had need to keep alliance with the temporal powers.
Understanding the Scriptures
Francis McConnell
The love of temporal dominion was ruining the Church of Rome.
Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward II
Charlotte Mary Yonge
Their temporal sorrows have awakened their spiritual energies.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. II
Francis Augustus Cox
It seemed a long time to Amelia before she awoke again to temporal things.
Tiverton Tales
Alice Brown
And observe how this bears on the question of the temporal power.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola

British Dictionary definitions for temporal

temporal

adjective

of or relating to time

of or relating to secular as opposed to spiritual or religious affairsthe lords spiritual and temporal

lasting for a relatively short time

grammar of or relating to tense or the linguistic expression of time in generala temporal adverb

Derived Formstemporally, adverbtemporalness, noun

Word Origin for temporal

C14: from Latin temporālis, from tempus time

temporal

adjective

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

Word Origin for temporal

C16: from Late Latin temporālis belonging to the temples; see temple ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for temporal

adj.

mid-14c., "worldly, secular," later "of time, terrestrial, earthly" (late 14c.), "temporary, lasting only for a time" (late 14c.), from Old French temporal, from Latin temporalis "of time, temporary," from tempus (genitive temporis) "time, season, proper time or season," of unknown origin. Related: Temporality.

temporal in Medicine