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tem·po·ral¹

(tĕmpər-əl, tĕmprəl)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or limited by time: a temporal dimension; temporal and spatial boundaries.

2. Of or relating to the material world; worldly: the temporal possessions of the Church.

3. Lasting only for a time; not eternal; passing: our temporal existence.

4. Secular or lay; civil: lords temporal and spiritual.

5. Grammar Expressing time: a temporal adverb.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin temporālis, from tempus, tempor-, time.]

tempo·ral·ly adv.

tem·po·ral²

(tĕmpər-əl, tĕmprəl)

adj.

Of, relating to, or near the temples of the skull.

[Late Latin temporālis, from Latin tempora, pl. of tempus, temple.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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