2 meanings
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1 —as in:
temporal and spacial boundaries
Definition
having to do with time- The last variable measures the temporal dimension.
- A fanciful story about a temporal rift in the fabric of time.
2 —as in:
temporal world
Definition
concerned with the material (in contrast to the spiritual) world- She focuses more on the spiritual while his main concern is with temporal existence.
temporal = concerned with the material (in contrast to the spiritual) world
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- temporal possessions of the church
- The execution will therefore only be delayed long enough for you to arrange your spiritual and temporal affairs.Dumas, Alexandre -- Twenty Years After
- Unique among the nations, America recognized the source of our character as being godly and eternal, not being civic and temporal. And because we have understood that our source is eternal, America has been different. We have no king but Jesus.John Ashcroft
- His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,Shakespeare, William -- The Merchant of Venice, (from the "Quality of Mercy" soliloquy)
- The church had ended the temporal practice of polygamy in 1890, but it had never recanted the doctrine.Tara Westover -- Educated
- But I cannot call that situation nothing which has the charge of all that is of the first importance to mankind, individually or collectively considered, temporally and eternally, which has the guardianship of religion and morals, and consequently of the manners which result from their influence.Jane Austen -- Mansfield Park
- His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,William Shakespeare -- The Merchant of Venice
- O the ultimate evil in the temporal world is deeper than any specific evil, such as hatred, or suffering, or death!John Gardner -- Grendel
- The church, refusing as it did to get involved in temporal matters, remained the only sanctuary.Julia Alvarez -- In the Time of the Butterflies
temporal = earthly
temporally = concerned with the material (in contrast to the spiritual) world
temporal = earthly (concerned with the material rather than the spiritual world)
temporal = concerned with the material (in contrast to the spiritual) world
temporal = concerned with the material (in contrast to the spiritual) world
Less commonly:
In medicine, temporal refers to a part of the human skull (as in temporal lobe or temporal artery). A comprehensive dictionary will have other less common and more specialized definitions.