pro temadj.
/(ˌ)prəʊ ˈtɛm/, U.S. /ˈˌproʊ ˈtɛm/ Temporary, provisional. Cf. pro tempore adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > [adjective] > temporary or provisional
whilwendlicc1000
whilenda1050
specialc1400
seasonable1549
temporary1567
provisional1597
provisionary1617
temporaneal1625
provisory1630
interimistical1643
pro tempore1649
temporaneous1656
non-permanent1782
jury-rigged1788
ad interim1806
interim1808
meantime1840
running1851
flying1857
pro tem1858
interimistic1859
temp1909
caretaker1945
1858 Times 25 Oct. 8/4 After a few words from the pro tem. President, the house proceeded to elect its President and other officers.
1946 Amer. Anthropologist 48 614 The pro-tem owner of the animal—the man who did the actual killing—takes the hide and guts to his house.
1991 N. Mailer Harlot's Ghost i. Omega ii. 13 One night a week, on the hostess's night off, Chloe was proud to serve as pro tem hostess.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
pro temadv.
/(ˌ)prəʊ ˈtɛm/, U.S. /ˈˌproʊ ˈtɛm/ For the time being, temporarily; provisionally. Cf. pro tempore adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > [adverb] > provisionally or temporarily
passingly1340
pro tempore1468
while1508
temporally1530
provisionally1597
interlocutorily1620
for the nonce1672
temporarilya1686
ad interim1701
probationally1707
pro tem1777
provisorily1802
to the nonce1802
temporaneously1818
transitionally1832
1777 Constit. State N.-Y. 32 By order, Leonard Gansevoort, Pres. pro tem.
1809 T. G. Fessenden Pills, Poet., Polit., & Philos. 51 Was Olmsted's cause appeal'd to them, As lords Chief Justices pro tem. Their conduct tells the federal judges, ‘Sirs, your authority a fudge is!’
1835 C. Dickens Let. ?30 Oct. (1965) I. 85 Through the stupidity of Frisby who was in attendance pro: tem: Frank Ross ‘dropped in’ to my writing room.
1886 R. Brown Spunyarn & Spindrift xxxi. 378 If the exact name of anything they want happens to slip from their memory, they call it a chicken-fixing, or a gadjet, or a gill-guy, or a timmey-noggy, or a wim-wom—just pro tem., you know.
1922 E. von Arnim Enchanted April (1989) 19 She decided pro tem , as the vicar said at meetings, to put her under the heading Nerves.
1955 Times 12 May 11/6 One feels that this is only a capital pro tem., making do until the kingdom reaches some new turning-point in its fortunes.
1993 Beaver Oct. 16/2 A tin roof has been placed over the church pro tem.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1858adv.1777