# temp

/ˈtɛmp/ (US) · /tˈɛmp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/temp
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. temporary worker

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a person who is hired to work for a short time, often to help when a company is busy.

For teachers: a temporary employee, typically hired through an agency for a limited duration to cover leave or peak workloads.

- The office hired a temp to help with the extra paperwork this month.
- The agency sent a highly skilled temp to manage the reception desk while the permanent staff member was on maternity leave.

### 2. temperature

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a short way to say how hot or cold something is.

For teachers: a clipping of temperature, used in casual speech or technical shorthand.

- The nurse came in to take my temp every four hours.
- The chef checked the internal temp of the roast to ensure it had reached the required safety standard before serving.

### 3. temporary variable

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Informal

a piece of data in a computer program that is only needed for a short time.

For teachers: a temporary variable or file used to store data briefly during a computation or process.

- I used a temp to store the value while the two numbers were swapped.
- The script creates a temp in the local directory to hold the intermediate results before the final output is generated.

### 5. temporary

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

lasting for only a short time; not permanent.

For teachers: an abbreviation of temporary, used in informal writing or technical labels.

- They set up a temp office in the warehouse while the main building was being painted.
- The project manager assigned a temp password to the new user, which would expire after the first login.

## Examples

- The office hired a temp to help with the extra filing.
- When the regular receptionist went on maternity leave, the company brought in a temp for six months.
- While many graduates start as a temp to gain experience, the lack of job security can make it difficult to plan for long-term financial commitments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.