Word Study
temporal
CIDE DICTIONARY
temporal, a. [L. temporalis, fr. tempora the temples: cf. F. temporal. See Temple a part of the head.].
Of or pertaining to the temple or temples; as, the temporal bone; a temporal artery. [1913 Webster]
temporal, a. [L. temporalis, fr. tempus, temporis, time, portion of time, the fitting or appointed time: cf. F. temporel. Cf. Contemporaneous, Extempore, Temper, v. t. , Tempest, Temple a part of the head, Tense, n. , Thing.].
- Of or pertaining to time, that is, to the present life, or this world; secular, as distinguished from sacred or eternal. [1913 Webster]"The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." [1913 Webster]"Is this an hour for temporal affairs?" [1913 Webster]
- Civil or political, as distinguished from ecclesiastical; as, temporal power; temporal courts. [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Transient; fleeting; transitory.
temporal, n.
Anything temporal or secular; a temporality; -- used chiefly in the plural. Dryden. [1913 Webster]
"He assigns supremacy to the pope in spirituals, and to the emperor or temporals." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
temporal, adj.
1 of worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs; of this life; secular.
2 of or relating to time.
3 Gram. relating to or denoting time or tense (temporal conjunction).
4 of the temples of the head (temporal artery; temporal bone).
1 of worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs; of this life; secular.
2 of or relating to time.
3 Gram. relating to or denoting time or tense (temporal conjunction).
4 of the temples of the head (temporal artery; temporal bone).
Idiom
temporal power the power of an ecclesiastic, esp. the Pope, in temporal matters.
Derivative
temporally adv.
Etymology
ME f. OF temporel or f. L temporalis f. tempus -oris time
THESAURUS
temporal
Philistine, annalistic, banausic, bodily, brittle, calendarial, calendric, capricious, carnal, carnal-minded, changeable, chronogrammatic, chronographic, chronologic, chronological, chronoscopic, civil, congregational, continuous, corporal, corporeal, corruptible, dated, deciduous, diaristic, durational, durative, dying, earthly, earthy, ephemeral, evanescent, fading, fickle, fleeting, fleshly, flitting, fly-by-night, flying, fragile, frail, fugacious, fugitive, horologic, hylic, impermanent, impetuous, impulsive, inconstant, insubstantial, intercalary, intercalated, laic, laical, lasting, lay, material, materialistic, materiate, metronomic, momentary, mortal, mundane, mutable, nonclerical, nondurable, nonecclesiastical, nonministerial, nonordained, nonpastoral, nonpermanent, nonreligious, nonsacred, nonspiritual, passing, perishable, physical, popular, profane, reprobate, secular, secularist, secularistic, sensual, short-lived, somatic, substantial, temporary, terrene, terrestrial, timekeeping, transient, transitive, transitory, unblessed, undurable, unenduring, unhallowed, unholy, unregenerate, unsacred, unsanctified, unspiritual, unstable, volatile, worldlyROGET THESAURUS
temporal
Transientness
N transience, transientness, evanescence, impermanence, fugacity, caducity, mortality, span, nine days' wonder, bubble, Mayfly, spurt, flash in the pan, temporary arrangement, interregnum, velocity, suddenness, changeableness, transient, transient boarder, transient guest, transient, transitory, transitive, passing, evanescent, fleeting, cursory, short-lived, ephemeral, flying, fugacious, fugitive, shifting, slippery, spasmodic, instantaneous, momentaneous, temporal, temporary, provisional, provisory, deciduous, perishable, mortal, precarious, unstable, insecure, impermanent, brief, quick, brisk, extemporaneous, summary, pressed for time, sudden, momentary, temporarily, pro tempore, for the moment, for a time, awhile, en passant, in transitu, in a short time, soon, briefly, at short notice, on the point of, on the eve of, in articulo, between cup and lip, one's days are numbered, the time is up, here today and gone tomorrow, non semper erit aestas, eheu! fugaces labuntur anni, sic transit gloria mundi, a schoolboy's tale, the wonder of the hour!, dum loquimur fugerit invidia aetas, fugit hora, all that is transitory is but an illusion.Laity
N laity, flock, fold, congregation, assembly, brethren, people, society, temporality, secularization, layman, civilian, parishioner, catechumen, secularist, secular, lay, laical, civil, temporal, profane.For further exploring for "temporal" in Webster Dictionary Online