tem·po·ral¹ / ˈtemp(ə)rəl/ • adj. 1. relating to worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs; secular.2. of or relating to time. ∎  Gram. relating to or denoting time or tense.DERIVATIVES: tem·po·ral·ly adv.tem·po·ral² • adj. Anat. of or situated in the temples of the head.

temporal (temp-er-ăl) adj. of or relating to the temple. t. arteritis see arteritis. t. artery a branch of the external carotid artery that supplies blood mainly to the temple and scalp. t. bone either of a pair of bones of the cranium. The squamous portion forms part of the side of the cranium. The petrous part contributes to the base of the skull and contains the middle and inner ears. See also skull. t. lobe one of the main divisions of the cerebral cortex in each hemisphere of the brain, lying at the side within the temple. Areas of the cortex in this lobe are concerned with the appreciation of sound and spoken language. t. lobe epilepsy see epilepsy.

temporal1 †temporary; pert. to human life, wordly; secular XIV; (gram., pros.) relating to time or tense XVII. — (O)F. temporel or L. temporālis, f. tempus, tempor- time; see -AL1.
So temporality †temporal things XIV; material possessions XV. — late L. temporālitās. temporary XVI. — L. temporārius. temporize XVI. — F. temporiser pass one's time, wait one's time- medL. temporizāre. Hence temporalty (-TY2) temporal things; laity. XIV.

temporal2 pert. to the temples. XVI. — late L. temporālis, f. tempora; see TEMPLE2, -AL1.