temporality

noun

tem·​po·​ral·​i·​ty ˌtem-pə-ˈra-lə-tē 

plural temporalities

1

a

: civil or political as distinguished from spiritual or ecclesiastical power or authority

b

: an ecclesiastical property or revenue

—often used in plural

2

: the quality or state of being temporal

Examples of temporality in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

First: Both films and the rice cooker involve temporality. —Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 3 July 2025

Born in 1982 in Gyumri, Armenia, Harutyunyan is professor of contemporary art and theory at the Berlin University of the Arts with a background in post-Soviet art and culture, Marxist aesthetics, historical temporality, and curatorial theory. —News Desk, Artforum, 24 June 2025

These things now have their daily and seasonal rhythms, but the temporality of their arising belongs to another order, one that the nineteenth century was just beginning to chart. —Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025

Painting for these women is not only a means of adorning their houses, but also a marker of temporality. —Percy Zvomuya, Artforum, 1 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English temperalte, temporalte, temporalyte (in plural or collective) "worldly matters, secular authority," borrowed from Anglo-French temporalté, temporalité, borrowed from Late Latin temporālitāt-, temporālitās "temporary character, duration of the present time," from Latin temporālis temporal entry 1 + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for temporality

• abnormality
• cardinality
• commonality
• communality
• cordiality
• corporeality
• criminality
• criticality
• functionality
• generality
• geniality
• hospitality