Temporary means lasting for only a limited time, not permanent. When something is temporary, you know it will end eventually. A substitute teacher is temporary because they only fill in until the regular teacher returns. A cast on a broken arm is temporary because doctors remove it once the bone heals.

The opposite of temporary is permanent. Your temporary teeth (baby teeth) fall out and are replaced by permanent ones. A temporary solution to a problem might work for now but isn't meant to last forever. If your school's gym floods, students might have PE outside as a temporary arrangement until repairs are finished.

Sometimes people use “temp” as shorthand: someone might work as a temp during summer vacation, filling in at an office for a few months.

When you hear that something is temporary, it means there's an end in sight. That can be reassuring when you're dealing with something difficult (like a temporary toothache), or disappointing when you're enjoying something wonderful (like a temporary visit from your favorite cousin). Understanding that a situation is temporary helps you prepare for what comes next.