Etymologically
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provisional

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Pronunciation

  • /pɹəˈvɪʒənəl/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from English provision + -al,[2][3][4][5] perhaps after French provisionnal, now provisionnel, recorded from 1484, and Medieval Latin provisionalis, recorded from before 1595.[5][6][2] Johnson derived it from the French word.[7] The base noun came through Old French provision (“precaution, care”) from Latin prōvīsiō (“foresight, preparation”), from prōvideō (“to look ahead”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of the nature of a temporary arrangement, provided for the time being: 1597, in a letter of Queen Elizabeth I.[2] Etymonline dates the word to about 1600, Merriam-Webster to 1601 and Dictionary.com to 1595–1605.[6][3][4]

Semantic evolution

Etymonline explains the sense as something that "provides for present needs".[6] Several early senses died out: "provident, looking to the future" (1603–1763), still listed as archaic by Merriam-Webster,[2][3] "preparatory" (1619), a church sense (1700–61) and "relating to supplies" (1812–23).[2] The sense "conditional, done with a proviso" dates from Bacon, before 1626.[2] Johnson (1755) defined it as "temporarily established; provided for present need".[7] As a noun it was used from 1845 for a person holding an office temporarily or a member of a provisional government; since 1885 it has also meant a provisional postage stamp, a use the adjective had from 1883.[2][3] From 1970 a Provisional was a member of the Provisional IRA,[2] the faction of the IRA and Sinn Féin that became dominant after a split in 1969.[8]

Timeline

  • 1597 – temporary, provided for the time being.[2]
  • 1603–1763 – provident (now obsolete).[2]
  • before 1626 – conditional (Bacon).[2]
  • 1755 – Johnson: temporarily established.[7]
  • 1845 – noun, a person holding office temporarily.[2]
  • 1883 – of a postage stamp, issued temporarily.[2]
  • 1885 – noun, a provisional stamp.[2][3]
  • 1970 – noun, a member of the Provisional IRA.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Arranged or existing for the time being, until something permanent replaces it; temporary: The council approved a provisional timetable.[8][3][2]
  2. Subject to later change or confirmation; tentative or conditional.[8][3][2]
  3. Of a postage stamp: issued for a time, until the regular issue is available.[8][2]
  4. Provisional: of or relating to the faction of the IRA and Sinn Féin that became dominant after the 1969 split.[8]
  5. (archaic) Providing for the future; provident.[3][2]

Noun

  1. A provisional postage stamp.[3][8][2]
  2. A person who holds an office temporarily, or a member of a provisional government; usually in the plural.[2]
  3. Provisional: a member of the Provisional IRA; also called a Provo.[8][2]

Word family

  • provisionally
  • provisionality
  • nonprovisional

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
  5. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins