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Origin and history of temporary

temporary(adj.)

"not permanent, lasting for a time only," 1540s, from Latin temporarius "of seasonal character, lasting a short time," from tempus (genitive temporis) "time, season" (see temporal (adj.1), which was the earlier word for "lasting but for a time"). The noun meaning "person employed only for a time" is recorded from 1848; compare temp. Related: Temporarily; temporariness.

also from 1540s

Entries linking to temporary

temp

1886 as a noun, short for temperature. By 1909 as an adjective, American English, a shortened form of temporary (job, worker, etc.). As a noun in this sense by 1932; as a verb by 1973. Temp. "in the time of" is attested from 1650s, an abbreviation of Latin tempore. Related: Temped; temping.

temporal(adj.1)

late 14c., "worldly, secular, of or pertaining to the present life;" also "terrestrial, earthly;" also "temporary, lasting only for a time;" from Old French temporal "earthly," and directly from Latin temporalis "of time, denoting time; but for a time, temporary," from tempus (genitive temporis) "time, season, moment; proper time or season," from Proto-Italic *tempos- "stretch, measure," which according to de Vaan is from PIE *temp-os "stretched," from root *ten- "to stretch," the notion being "stretch of time."

Limited in time, but less fleeting than what is temporary. As "of or pertaining to time, expressing relations of time," by 1877. Related: Temporally. As a noun, late 14c., "that which is worldly; the secular, secular concerns." Temporalty "the laity" is by late 14c. Temporalism "secularism, absorption in mundane matters" (opposed to the spirit of religion) is by 1872.

contemporary(n.)

"one who lives at the same time as another," 1630s, originally cotemporary, from co- + temporary; modified by influence of contemporary (adj.). A native word for it was time-fellow (1570s), and earlier was contemporanie (early 15c.), from Latin contemporaneus, used as a noun. Also compare crony.

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    booth
    c. 1200, mid-12c. in place-names, "temporary structure of boards, etc.," especially a stall for the sale of goods or food...or entertainment, at a fair, etc., from Old Danish boþ "temporary dwelling," from East Norse *boa "to dwell," from Proto-Germanic...
    lodge
    c. 1200, loggen, "to encamp (an army), set up camp;" c. 1300 "furnish with a temporary habitation, put in a certain place...From late 14c. as "to dwell, live; to have temporary accommodations; to provide (someone) with sleeping quarters; to get...
    hurdle
    Old English hyrdel "frame of intertwined twigs used as a temporary barrier," diminutive of hyrd "door," from Proto-Germanic...Used as temporary fencing in agriculture....
    shelter
    The meaning "temporary lodging for homeless poor" is recorded by 1890 in Salvation Army jargon; the sense of "temporary home...
    pontoon
    "flat-bottomed boat" (especially, in military engineering, one to support a temporary bridge over a river), 1670s, from French...
    restorationist
    1788, "one who believes in the final restoration of all to God's favor after temporary punishment of the impenitent," from...
    replevin
    in law, "recovery of goods (by someone) taken from him, upon posting of security; temporary restoration of confiscated property...
    permanent
    "enduring, unchanging, unchanged, lasting or intended to last indefinitely," early 15c., from Old French permanent, parmanent (14c.) or directly from Latin permanentem (nominative permanens) "remaining," present participle of permanere "endure, hold out, continue, stay to the end
    irregular
    late 14c., "not in conformity with Church rules," from Old French irreguler "irregular, incapable, incompetent" (13c., Modern French irrégulier), from Medieval Latin irregularis "not regular," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + Latin regularis "having
    bow
    [bend the body] Middle English bouen, from Old English bugan "to bend, become bent, have or assume a curved direction; to bow down, bend the body in condescension or reverence, to submit," also "to turn back" (class II strong verb; past tense beag, past participle bogen), from Pr

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