temporal
adjective · noun
Simple meaning
Related to small in range or scope.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
tehmperuhlSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈtɛmpɚəl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
relational
Of or relating to or limited by time
“Our temporal existence on this planet is brief.”
relational
Of or relating to the temples (the sides of the skull behind the orbit)
grammar
Relating to or denoting time or tense.
relational
Of or relating to time as distinguished from space.
Of or relating to the sequence of time or to a particular time.
noun
chiefly in the plural
Anything temporal or secular; a temporality.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Of or relating to or limited by time
Used this way, temporal is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“Our temporal existence on this planet is brief.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use temporal
- “Temporal processing.”adjective
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Not permanent.
For a limited time only.
With regard to temporal order.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
That part of the cerebral cortex in either hemisphere of the brain lying inside the temples of the head.
Any of the convolutions of the outer surface of the temporal lobe of the cerebrum.
That part of the cerebral cortex in either hemisphere of the brain lying inside the temples of the head.
Epilepsy characterized clinically by impairment of consciousness and amnesia for the episode.
Muscle extending from the temporal fossa to the coronoid process of the mandible.
Arrangement of events in time.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
Muscle extending from the temporal fossa to the coronoid process of the mandible.
The joint between the head of the lower jawbone and the temporal bone.
Muscle extending from the temporal fossa to the coronoid process of the mandible.
Any of several veins draining the temporal region.
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “temporal” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.