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temporary

adj. · n.
US //ˈtɛmpɝˌɛɹi// UK //tˈɛmpɹəɹˌi// tem·po·rary
  1. 1 not permanent (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    lasting for only a limited time.

    lasting for a limited period; not intended to be permanent or enduring.

    Example

    The city set up temporary housing for people after the flood.

    Example

    The government implemented temporary measures to stabilise the economy while the long-term structural reforms were being debated in parliament.
  2. 2 short-term worker (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person who is hired to work for a short time, often through an agency.

    an employee hired for a limited duration, typically to cover for an absent staff member or during peak periods.

    Example

    We hired a temporary to help with the extra paperwork this month.

    Example

    The agency sent a temporary to manage the reception desk while the regular administrative assistant was on maternity leave.

    Usage

    Often shortened to 'temp' in casual office conversation.
    • permanent employee
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  1. 3 programming variable (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a variable used in computer code to hold a value for a very short time.

    a short-term variable used to store an intermediate result during a calculation or process.

    Example

    The program stores the user's name in a temporary before saving it to the database.

    Example

    The algorithm creates a temporary to hold the swap value, ensuring that no data is lost during the sorting process.

    Usage

    Frequently used as a noun in technical documentation.
Origin

Borrowed from Latin temporarius, from tempus (“time”).

Word family

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