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Webster 1913 Edition

Temporal

Tem′po-ral

,
Adj.
[L.
temporalis
, fr.
tempora
the temples: cf. F.
temporal
. See
Temple
a part of the head.]
(Anat.)
Of or pertaining to the temple or temples;
as, the
temporal
bone; a
temporal
artery.
Temporal bone
,
a very complex bone situated in the side of the skull of most mammals and containing the organ of hearing. It consists of an expanded squamosal portion above the ear, corresponding to the squamosal and zygoma of the lower vertebrates, and a thickened basal petrosal and mastoid portion, corresponding to the periotic and tympanic bones of the lower vertebrates.

Tem′po-ral

,
Adj.
[L.
temporalis
, fr.
tempus
,
temporis
, time, portion of time, the fitting or appointed time: cf. F.
temporel
. Cf.
Contemporaneous
,
Extempore
,
Temper
,
Verb.
T.
,
Tempest
,
Temple
a part of the head,
Tense
,
Noun.
,
Thing
.]
1.
Of or pertaining to time, that is, to the present life, or this world; secular, as distinguished from sacred or eternal.
The things which are seen are
temporal
, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Cor. iv. 18.
Is this an hour for
temporal
affairs?
Shakespeare
2.
Civil or political, as distinguished from ecclesiastical;
as,
temporal
power;
temporal
courts
.
Lords temporal
.
See under
Lord
,
Noun.
–
Temporal augment
.
See the Note under
Augment
,
Noun.
Syn. – Transient; fleeting; transitory.

Tem′po-ral

,
Noun.
Anything temporal or secular; a temporality; – used chiefly in the plural.
Dryden.
He assigns supremacy to the pope in spirituals, and to the emperor or
temporals
.
Lowell.

Webster 1828 Edition

Temporal

TEM'PORAL

,
Adj.
[L. temporalis, from tempus, time.]
1.
Pertaining to this life or this world or the body only; secular; as temporal concerns; temporal affairs. In this sense, it is opposed to spiritual. Let not temporal affairs or employments divert the mind from spiritual concerns, which are far more important.
In this sense also it is opposed to ecclesiastical; as temporal power, that is, secular, civil or political power; temporal courts, those which take cognizance of civil suits. Temporal jurisdiction is that which regards civil and political affairs.
2.
Measured or limited by time, or by this life or this state of things; having limited existence; opposed to eternal.
The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor.4.
3.
In grammar, relating to a tense; as a temporal augment.
4.
Pertaining to the temple or temples of the head; as the temporal bone; a temporal artery or vein; temporal muscle.

Definition 2024

temporal

temporal

See also: temporâl

English

Adjective

temporal ‎(comparative more temporal, superlative most temporal)

  1. (also grammar) Of or relating to time.
  2. Of limited time; not perpetual.
    • Bible, 2 Corinthians iv. 18
      The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
  3. Of or relating to the material world, as opposed to spiritual.
    • 2011, Thomas Penn, Winter King, Penguin 2012, p. 166:
      Not long before, he had ruefully acknowledged in a letter to his pious mother that most of his appointments to the bench of bishops had been motivated by distinctly temporal impulses.
  4. Lasting a short time only.
  5. Civil or political, as distinguished from ecclesiastical.
    temporal power; temporal courts
Derived terms
Translations

Noun

temporal ‎(plural temporals)

  1. (chiefly in the plural) Anything temporal or secular; a temporality.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)
    • Lowell
      He assigns supremacy to the pope in spirituals, and to the emperor in temporals.

Etymology 2

From New Latin temporālis, from Latin tempora ‎(“the temples”), plural of tempus ‎(“temple, head, face”).

Adjective

temporal ‎(not comparable)

  1. of the temples of the head
Derived terms
Translations

Noun

temporal ‎(plural temporals)

  1. (anatomy) Either of the bones on the side of the skull, near the ears.
  2. Any of a reptile's scales on the side of the head between the parietal and supralabial scales, and behind the postocular scales.
Translations

Catalan

Noun

temporal m ‎(plural temporals)

  1. storm

Galician

Adjective

temporal m, f (plural temporais)

  1. temporal, pertaining to time
  2. temporal, pertaining to the temples of the head
  3. (grammar) of a grammatical case in Hungarian

Noun

temporal m ‎(plural temporais)

  1. (anatomy) the temporal bone

German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tɛmpoˈʀaːl/
  • Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

temporal ‎(not comparable)

  1. temporal

Declension

Synonyms

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Late Latin temporālis, from Latin tempus ‎(“time”).

Adjective

temporal (masculine temporal; feminine temporal; neuter temporalt; plural temporale; comparative mer temporal; superlative mest temporal)

  1. temporal (related to time)
  2. temporal (related to the temples)

Derived terms

Related terms

  • temporær

References

Portuguese

Pronunciation

  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˌtẽ.po.ˈɾaw/
  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /tẽ.pu.ˈɾaɫ/

Etymology 1

From Latin temporālis ‎(“temporal”), from tempus ‎(“season, time, opportunity”), from Proto-Indo-European *tempos ‎(“stretch”).

Adjective

temporal m, f ‎(plural temporais, not comparable)

  1. temporal (relating to time)
Synonyms
Related terms

Etymology 2

From tempo ‎(“weather”).

Noun

temporal m (plural temporais)

  1. downpour; heavy rain
Synonyms

Etymology 3

From têmpora ‎(“temple of the head”).

Noun

temporal m (plural temporais)

  1. temporal bone
Hypernyms
Holonyms
Coordinate terms

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin temporālis.

Adjective

temporal m, f ‎(plural temporales)

  1. temporary

Synonyms

Noun

temporal m ‎(plural temporales)

  1. storm

Synonyms

Etymology

From Middle English temporal, from Old French temporal, from Latin temporālis, from tempus ‎(“season, time, opportunity”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈtɛmp.ɜː(ɹ).əl/

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