transitory

[ tran-si-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, -zi- ]
See synonyms for transitory on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. not lasting, enduring, permanent, or eternal.

  2. lasting only a short time; brief; short-lived; temporary.

Origin of transitory

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English transitorie, from Late Latin trānsitōrius “fleeting” (see transit, -tory1); replacing Middle English transitoire, from Middle French, from Late Latin, as above

synonym study For transitory

2. See temporary.

Opposites for transitory

Other words from transitory

  • tran·si·to·ri·ly [tran-si-tawr-uh-lee, -tohr-, tran-si-tawr-, -tohr-, -zi-], /ˈtræn sɪˌtɔr ə li, -ˌtoʊr-, ˌtræn sɪˈtɔr-, -ˈtoʊr-, -zɪ-/, adverb
  • tran·si·to·ri·ness, noun
  • un·tran·si·to·ri·ly, adverb
  • un·tran·si·to·ri·ness, noun
  • un·tran·si·to·ry, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use transitory in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for transitory

transitory

/ (ˈtrænsɪtərɪ, -trɪ) /


adjective
  1. of short duration; transient or ephemeral

Origin of transitory

1
C14: from Church Latin transitōrius passing, from Latin transitus a crossing over; see transient

Derived forms of transitory

  • transitorily, adverb
  • transitoriness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012