/stop"gap'/ , n.
1. something that fills the place of something else that is lacking; temporary substitute; makeshift: Candles are a stopgap when the electricity fails.
adj.
2. makeshift: This is only a stopgap solution.
[ 1525-35; n., adj. use of v. phrase stop a gap ]
Syn. 2. improvised, temporary, substitute, impromptu.