pro tempore

adverb

pro tem·​po·​re prō-ˈtem-pə-rē How to pronounce pro tempore (audio)
: for the time being

Examples of pro tempore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lucas, the state Senate's president pro tempore and chairman of the Finance and Appropriations Committee, is not on the ballot this year. — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 After Democrats flipped control of the Senate in 2019, her peers elected her to serve as president pro tempore. — Sarah Rankin, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Lucas was first elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 1991 and is currently the Senate president pro tempore. — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 In 2019, after Democrats flipped control of the chamber, her peers elected her to serve as president pro tempore. — Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pro tempore

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pro tempore was in the 15th century

Rhymes for pro tempore

See All Rhymes for pro tempore

Browse Nearby Words

pro tem
pro tempore
protend
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pro tempore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pro%20tempore. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

pro tempore

adverb
pro tem·​po·​re prō-ˈtem-pə-rē How to pronounce pro tempore (audio)
: for the present
president pro tempore

Legal Definition

pro tempore

adverb or adjective
pro tem·​po·​re
prō-ˈtem-pə-rē, -pō-ˌrā
: for the time being : chosen or appointed to occupy a position either temporarily or in the absence of a regularly elected official
an administrator pro tempore
Etymology

Latin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All