adj. 1 of worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs; of this life; secular. 2 of or relating to time. 3 Gram. relating to or denoting time or tense (temporal conjunction). 4 of the temples of the head (temporal artery; temporal bone). temporal power the power of an ecclesiastic, esp. the Pope, in temporal matters. temporally adv.
[ ME f. OF temporel or f. L temporalis f. tempus -oris time ]