temp

UK: /ˈtɛmp/ US: /tɛmp/ ,(temp)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

temp /tɛmp/  n. [countable]

1. Physics a temporary worker, esp. in an office.

v. [no object]

2. to work in this way:
   temping for a detective agency.

-temp-, root. 

1. -temp- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "time.'' This meaning is found in such words as: contemporary, contretemps, extemporaneous, tempo, temporary, temporize.

temp.,  an abbreviation of:

1. Physics temperature.
2. temporary.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

temp  (temp), n. [Informal.]

1. Informal Terms temporary (def. 2).

v.i. 

2. Informal Terms to work as a temporary.

• by shortening 1930–35

temp., 

1. Physics temperature.
2. temporary.
3. in the time of.
• Latin tempore

temp, +v.i. 

1. Informal Terms to work as a temporary.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

temp / tɛmp/ noun

1. a person, esp an office worker, employed on a temporary basis

verb

1. (intransitive) to work as a temp

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

temp. abbreviation

1. temperature
2. temporary
3. tempore

Etymology: (for sense 4) Latin: in the time of