Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Existing or lasting only a short time; short-lived or temporary.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Passing without continuing; lasting only a short time; unstable and fleeting; speedily vanishing.
  • Occurring or done in passing; cursory.
  • Synonyms Fleeting, etc. (see transient), temporary, evanescent, ephemeral, momentary, short-lived.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Continuing only for a short time; not enduring; fleeting; evanescent.
  • adjective (Law) an action which may be brought in any county, as actions for debt, and the like; -- opposed to local action.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Lasting only a short time; temporary.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective lasting a very short time

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English transitorie, from Old French transitoire, from Late Latin trānsitōrius, from Latin, having a passageway, from trānsitus, passage; see transit.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

transit +‎ -ory.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word transitory.

Examples

  • The count of people in "transitory places" is underway in RV parks, campgrounds and marinas.

    Census 2010: Are you counted? 2010

  • Last month, Census workers counted people in "transitory places," from RV parks and marinas to circuses and campgrounds.

    Towns fight for Census numbers 2010

  • Don't panic under short-term transitory developments.

    Managing Your Portfolio: One Father's Advice Arthur Zeikel 2010

  • In its review of Obama's first 100 days, Amnesty International singled out "the possibility of the CIA abducting and detaining people in 'short-term transitory' facilities" as an unacceptable loophole.

    Andy Worthington: Obama's Mixed Messages On Torture 2009

  • This came from an otherwise laudable announcement a month ago by the CIA's new director, Leon Panetta, in which Panetta stated, "CIA no longer operates detention facilities or black sites and has proposed a plan to decommission the remaining sites," but added that the agency "retains the authority to detain individuals on a short-term transitory basis."

    Andy Worthington: Obama's Mixed Messages On Torture 2009

  • CIA retains the authority to detain individuals on a short-term transitory basis.

    Let’s Get One Thing Straight | ATTACKERMAN 2009

  • He says that CIA officers will continue to conduct interrogations, and that the agency retains the authority to hold detainees "on a short-term transitory basis."

    CIA Bans Interrogations by Outside Contractors 2009

  • I'll give you five bucks if he actually uses the word transitory today.

    CNN Transcript Jul 20, 2004 2004

  • Oh, he's grown Cautiously rich, and will venture none of his substantiall stock in transitory Traffick.

    Sir Patient Fancy 1678

  • CIA detains individuals on "a short-term transitory basis".

    TalkLeft Jeralyn 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.