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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.

  1. Fleeting

    brief, ephemeral, short; see fleeting.

  2. 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.