transitory Definition
tran·si·tory (tran′sə tôr′ē, -zə-)
adjective
of a passing nature; not enduring or permanent; temporary, fleeting, or ephemeral; transient
Etymology: ME transitorie < MFr transitoire < LL(Ec) transitorius < L, adapted for passing through < transitus: see transit
transitory Related Forms
tran′·si·to′·rily adverb
tran′·si·to′·ri·ness noun
transitory Synonyms
transitory
modif.
Fleeting
Temporary
impermanent, transient, changeable; see temporary. See syn. study at transient.
transitory Usage Examples
Modifies a noun
- nature: The transitory nature of many of the peace motifs in Northern Ireland is evidence of the fragile state of the current peace agreement.
- phenomenon: At the best, when a man says ' I ' he refers only to a transitory phenomenon.
- provision: Schedule 24: Transitional and transitory provisions and savings 26.
- phase: Stage one sleep is a transitory phase, this usually lasts about 20 minutes.
- impact: But the loving behavior that I enjoy observing has more than a transitory impact.
- stage: The outburst may represent a transitory stage in a star's evolution that is rarely seen.
Modifying Another Word
- usually: This retaliation is usually transitory, just to test the strength of your boundaries.
- often: They regard knowledge derived from a business context as often transitory and of limited long-term value to students.
- only: Only transitory delay in continuing therapy was observed ( median 3.9 days ).
- not: Unlike normal sadness it is not transitory; the patient feels paralyzed and loses hope of ever feeling any better.
- so: In comparison our current physical existence will seem so dull, so flat, so fleeting, so transitory.
- very: Online writing is poised in a very transitory moment in its own development.
Preposition: in
nature: The improvement is likely, therefore, to be transitory in nature.
Browse dictionary entries near transitory
- ‹ transitive
- ‹ transition element
- ‹ transition band
- ‹ transition
- ‹ transit instrument
- ‹ transit
- ‹ transistorize
- ‹ transistor
- ‹ transilluminate
- ‹ transilient
- Transjordan ›
- Transkei ›
- transl ›
- translate ›
- translated ›
- translation ›
- translator ›
- transliterate ›
- transliteration ›
- translocate ›

