See Also: provisional(dictionary)
Provisional IRA, the(dictionary)
provisional(dictionary)
provisional(medicine)
provisional licence(dictionary)
provisional prosthesis(medicine)
provisional ligature(medicine)
provisional denture(medicine)
provisional cortex(medicine)
provisional callus(medicine)

provisional (iou)



provisional adjective & noun. E17.
[from PROVISION + -AL1, after French provisionnal (now -el), medieval Latin provisionalis.]
A. adjective.
Of the nature of a temporary provision or arrangement; provided or adopted for present needs or temporarily; supplying the place of something regular, permanent, final, or better; tentative. E17.
Provisional IRA the unofficial wing of the Irish Republican Army instituted in 1970, advocating terrorism.
A. Hutschnecker He confirmed the provisional diagnosis. C. Harman All plans were provisional.
b. Philately. Of a postage stamp: (overprinted and) put into circulation temporarily; not definitive. L19.
Characterized by or exhibiting foresight; provident. rare. E17-M18.
Done with a proviso; conditional. M17-E19.
b. noun.
A person for whom provision is made. rare. Only in E18.
A person whose tenure of office is temporary; a provisional governor. M19.
A provisional thing, esp. a provisional postage stamp. L19.
(Provisional.) A member of the Provisional IRA. L20.
provisio'nality noun E19.
provisionally adverb in a provisional manner; as a temporary measure: L16.
provisionalness noun L19.