provisional

[ pruh-vizh-uh-nl ]
See synonyms for provisional on Thesaurus.com
adjectiveAlso pro·vi·sion·ar·y [pruh-vizh-uh-ner-ee] /prəˈvɪʒ əˌnɛr i/ (for defs. 1, 2).
  1. providing or serving for the time being only; existing only until permanently or properly replaced; temporary: a provisional government.

  2. accepted or adopted tentatively; conditional; contingent.

  1. (usually initial capital letter) of or being the wing of the Irish Republican Army that follows a policy of violence.

noun
  1. Philately. a stamp that serves temporarily, pending the appearance of the regular issue, or during a temporary shortage of the regular stamps.

  2. a provisional member of a group.

  1. Usually Provisional . a member of the Provisional wing of the Irish Republican Army.

Origin of provisional

1
First recorded in 1595–1605; provision + -al1

Other words for provisional

Other words from provisional

  • pro·vi·sion·al·i·ty, pro·vi·sion·al·ness, noun
  • pro·vi·sion·al·ly, adverb
  • non·pro·vi·sion·al, adjective
  • non·pro·vi·sion·al·ly, adverb
  • non·pro·vi·sion·ar·y, adjective
  • un·pro·vi·sion·al, adjective

Words Nearby provisional

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How to use provisional in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for provisional (1 of 2)

provisional

less commonly provisionary (prəˈvɪʒənərɪ)

/ (prəˈvɪʒənəl) /


adjective
  1. subject to later alteration; temporary or conditional: a provisional decision

noun
  1. a postage stamp surcharged during an emergency to alter the stamp's denomination or significance until a new or regular issue is printed

Derived forms of provisional

  • provisionally, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for Provisional (2 of 2)

Provisional

/ (prəˈvɪʒənəl) /


adjective
  1. of, designating, or relating to the unofficial factions of the IRA and Sinn Féin that became increasingly dominant following a split in 1969. The Provisional movement remained committed to a policy of terrorism until its ceasefires of the mid-1990s

noun
  1. Also called: Provo a member of the Provisional IRA or Sinn Féin

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