Temporal is an adjective meaning relating to time (as opposed to space), or relating to worldly and secular matters rather than spiritual ones (temporal order, temporal power); it also names the temporal bone at the side of the head. Temporary is an adjective meaning lasting for only a limited time; not permanent (a temporary job, a temporary solution). They both come from Latin tempus (“time”), which is why they look alike, but they are not homophones. Remember: temporARY lasts a while then goes away; temporAL relates to time itself or to the worldly.
Temporal and temporary both descend from the Latin word tempus, meaning “time,” so it is no surprise that learners mix them up. But they have drifted apart in meaning. Temporal is a fairly formal word about time as a dimension, or about earthly, secular life. Temporary is an everyday word meaning “not permanent.” They are not homophones — temporal ends in a soft -al and temporary in -ary — but the overlap in spelling and root is enough to cause trouble.
At a Glance: Temporal vs Temporary
| Word | Meaning | Part of Speech | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| temporal | relating to time; relating to worldly/secular affairs; of the temple region of the head | Adjective | temporal order, temporal power, the temporal lobe |
| temporary | lasting for only a limited time; not permanent | Adjective | a temporary job, a temporary fix, temporary accommodation |
Using “Temporal”
Temporal is a fairly formal adjective with three distinct senses. It can mean relating to time (as opposed to space); it can mean relating to worldly or secular matters rather than spiritual ones; and in anatomy it refers to the side of the head, as in the temporal bone or temporal lobe.
Definition
1. Relating to time, especially as opposed to space: the film plays with temporal order, jumping between past and present. 2. Relating to worldly or secular affairs rather than spiritual ones: the church had no temporal power over the state. 3. (anatomy) Of or near the temples, at the sides of the head: the temporal lobe, the temporal bone. It comes from Latin tempus, “time,” and (for the anatomical sense) tempora, “the temples.”
When to use it
- Describing time as a dimension: temporal order, temporal sequence
- Contrasting time with space: spatial and temporal patterns
- Describing worldly power: temporal power, temporal authority
- Contrasting the secular with the spiritual: temporal and spiritual matters
- In anatomy: the temporal lobe, the temporal bone
The film plays with temporal order, jumping between past and present.
By the late Middle Ages, the church had little temporal power over the state.
The study compared the spatial and temporal patterns of the migration.
The injury affected the patient’s temporal lobe, near the temple.
Monks were expected to renounce temporal concerns and live a spiritual life.
temporal order / sequence: the novel disrupts temporal order
temporal power / authority: the bishop held no temporal power
temporal lobe / bone (anatomy): the temporal lobe processes sound
Using “Temporary”
Temporary is an everyday adjective meaning lasting for only a limited time. It is the opposite of permanent. You use it for jobs, solutions, arrangements, and anything else that is meant to last only for a while before ending or being replaced.
Definition
Lasting for only a limited time; not permanent: she took a temporary job over the summer; this is only a temporary solution. It describes something intended or expected to end, in contrast with something fixed or lasting. It comes from Latin temporarius, “lasting only for a time,” itself from tempus, “time.”
When to use it
- Describing short-term work: a temporary job, temporary staff
- Describing a stopgap fix: a temporary solution, a temporary repair
- Describing short-term living: temporary accommodation, temporary housing
- Describing a passing state: a temporary setback, a temporary closure
- Anywhere you mean “not permanent” or “only for a while”
She took a temporary job in a cafe over the summer.
This is only a temporary solution until the new system is ready.
The council placed the family in temporary accommodation.
The road is closed by a temporary diversion while repairs are carried out.
The drop in sales proved to be only a temporary setback.
temporary + noun: temporary job, temporary staff
a temporary solution / fix / measure
temporary accommodation / closure / setback
The Key Difference: About Time vs Lasting a Short Time
The crucial point is that temporal is about time as a concept (or about worldly life), while temporary is about something lasting only a short time. They are not interchangeable. A temporal sequence is not a short-lived one — it simply has to do with time. A temporary arrangement is one that will soon end. If you mean “relating to time” or “worldly,” use temporal; if you mean “not permanent,” use temporary.
Relating to time / worldly → temporal:
The two events are linked by a temporal relationship. (= a relationship in time)
Lasting only a short time → temporary:
The scaffolding is a temporary structure. (= it will be taken down)
A quick test: if you can replace the word with “to do with time” or “worldly,” you want temporal. If you can replace it with “short-lived” or “not permanent,” you want temporary. The extra -ary ending of temporary is the clue: it lasts a while, then it is gone.
Common Mistakes
She found a temporal job for the summer.
She found a temporary job for the summer. (= short-term, not permanent)
The novel disrupts the temporary order of events.
The novel disrupts the temporal order of events. (= the order in time)
It is only a temporal fix until the part arrives.
It is only a temporary fix until the part arrives. (= a short-term solution)
The pope once claimed temporary power over kings.
The pope once claimed temporal power over kings. (= worldly, secular power)
Special Expressions and Fixed Phrases
Several common expressions are fixed with temporal and cannot use temporary:
- temporal power / authority — worldly, secular power: the bishop held no temporal power
- temporal order / sequence — the order of things in time
- spatial and temporal — relating to space and time together
- temporal lobe / bone — the part of the brain or skull at the temple
And several go with temporary:
- temporary job / work / contract — short-term employment
- temporary solution / fix / measure — a stopgap: only a temporary measure
- temporary accommodation / housing — short-term lodging
- temporary closure / setback — a short-lived interruption
Think of temporARY as something that lasts a while and then goes aw-ARY (away) — it is short-lived, not permanent. TemporAL, with its plain -al ending, relates to time itself or to the worldly, like other formal adjectives (spatial, spiritual). If you can swap the word for “not permanent,” choose temporary; if you can swap it for “relating to time” or “worldly,” choose temporal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Practice Temporal vs Temporary
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