pro tempore
Preserved but no longer current.
Temporarily; for the time being, till something is permanently settled. Contracted into pro tern. Probate (pro' bat) (Lat., proved). The probate of a will is the official proving of it, and a copy certified by an officer whose duty it is to attest it The original is retained in the court registry, and executors cannot act until probate has been obtained.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “pro tempore” mean?
Temporarily; for the time being, till something is permanently settled. Contracted into pro tern. Probate (pro' bat) (Lat., proved). The probate of a will is the official proving of it, and a copy certified by an officer whose duty it is to attest it The original is retained in the court registry, and executors cannot act until probate has been obtained.
Is “pro tempore” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.