(1) Having to do with time as opposed to eternity; having to do with earthly life as opposed to heavenly existence. (2) Having to do with time as distinguished from space.

Temporal existence is often contrasted with spiritual existence, which many religions teach is eternal. The American system of government features a separation of church and state—that is, a separation of spiritual and temporal authority. But such separation is relatively recent. In past centuries, the Roman Catholic Church exerted temporal authority—that is, political power —throughout much of Europe, and the Church of England has always been officially headed by the temporal ruler of Great Britain. *Temporal* isn't always used in religious contexts; for example, child psychologists often measure “temporal processing”—that is, speed of thinking—in children with mental difficulties. Note that *temporal* may also mean “near the temples (of the head)”; thus, your brain's *temporal lobes* are situated at your temples. But this *temporal*is based on a different Latin root.

(1) Occurring or existing during the same period of time. (2) Having to do with the present period; modern or current.

*Contemporary* can be confusing because of its slightly different meanings. In everyday use, it generally means simply “modern” or “new.” But before the 20th century it instead referred only to things from the same era as certain other things; so, for instance, Jesus was contemporary with the Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius, and Muhammad was contemporary with Pope Gregory the Great. And *contemporary* is also a noun: thus, Jane Austen's *contemporaries* included Coleridge and Wordsworth, and your own contemporaries were born around the same year that you were.

(1) Composed, performed, spoken, or done on the spur of the moment; impromptu or improvised. (2) Carefully prepared but delivered without notes.

The ability to speak well *extemporaneously* is an important talent for politicians, especially when participating in debates. (Though it's also a good idea to have a “spin doctor” who can go out afterward and tell everyone what the candidate *really* meant to say.) Some people claim there's a difference between *extemporaneous* and *impromptu,* saying that an extemporaneous speech is planned beforehand but not written down, while an impromptu speech is genuinely unprepared or off-the-cuff, but today the two words are mostly used as synonyms.

(1) To act in a way that fits the time or occasion; to give way to current opinion. (2) To draw out discussions to gain time.

The Latin word that *temporize* comes from meant simply “to pass the time” ; the meaning of the English word is different but obviously related. People aren't usually admired for temporizing. A political leader faced with a difficult issue may temporize by talking vaguely about possible solutions without actually doing anything. The point is to avoid taking an action that lots of people aren't going to like, in hopes that the problem will somehow go away, but the effect is often just to make matters worse.

(1) Lasting a long time or recurring frequently. (2) Always present; constantly annoying or troubling; habitual.

Chronic coughing goes on and on; chronic lateness occurs day after day; chronic lameness never seems to get any better. Unfortunately, situations that we call chronic almost always seem to be unpleasant. We never hear about chronic peace, but we do hear about chronic warfare. And we never speak of chronic health, only of chronic illness.

(1) A sequence of events in the order they occurred. (2) A table, list, or account that presents events in order.

History is much more than a simple chronology of events, but keeping events in *chronological* order is the first essential step in thinking about it. When, for example, historians try to show how World War I prepared the way for World War II, tracking the chronology of the events in the years between the two wars can help in explaining a complicated historical era.

(1) The error of placing a person or thing in the wrong time period. (2) A person or thing that is out of its own time.

In Shakespeare's time, playwrights didn't worry much about anachronisms. When Shakespeare saw his plays performed, all the characters, even Romans and Greeks, would have been dressed in the clothes of his own period. *Macbeth*, which is set in the 11th century, contains *anachronistic* references to clocks and cannons, which the real Macbeth would have known nothing about. Today, a writer may spend months doing research in order to avoid anachronisms in the historical novel she's working on. Using the second meaning of the word, we could say that manual typewriters and slide rules are anachronisms in these days of computers and calculators, and a person who likes doing things the old-fashioned way might himself be described as an anachronism.

(1) Happening or existing at exactly the same time; simultaneous. (2) Recurring or acting at exactly the same intervals.

Communications satellites are usually put into a synchronous (or *geosynchronous*) orbit, circling the earth once every 24 hours and so appearing to hover over a single spot on the surface. This type of *synchronized* movement is important, since you have to know where to aim your satellite dish. In the computer field, *synchronous* usually refers to the use of a simple timing signal that permits very rapid exchange of data between computers. The kind of mysterious coincidence sometimes called *synchronicity*—such as the appearance of two different comic-strip characters named Dennis the Menace in the U.S. and Britain within three days of each other in 1951—has fascinated people for centuries.