# temporary

/ˈtɛmpɝˌɛɹi/ (US) · /tˈɛmpɹəɹˌi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/temporary
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. not permanent

adjective · CEFR B1

lasting for only a limited time.

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

- The city set up temporary housing for people after the flood.
- The government implemented temporary measures to stabilise the economy while the long-term structural reforms were being debated in parliament.

### 2. short-term worker

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

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

### 3. programming variable

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

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

## Examples

- The power cut is only temporary.
- The company hired several temporary workers to help manage the increased workload during the holiday season.
- The government implemented temporary measures to stabilize the currency, though economists warned that long-term structural reforms were still necessary to ensure lasting growth.

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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.