α. late Middle English–1600s transitorious, 1500s transetorious, 1500s transitoryous, 1500s transytoryous, 1500s transytoryouse.
β. 1600s transetoreous.
† transitoriousadj.
Obsolete.
Esp. of the mortal world or human existence: not lasting; temporary; brief, fleeting; = transitory adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > swift movement of time > [adjective]
slidinga900
scrithingOE
henwardOE
swifta1225
short livya1325
passing1340
flittingc1374
shadowy1374
temporalc1384
speedfula1400
transitory?c1400
brittlea1425
unabidingc1430
frail?c1450
indurablec1450
scrithel?c1475
caduke1483
transitorious1492
passanta1500
perishinga1500
caducea1513
fugitive?1518
caducal?1548
quick1548
delible1549
flittering1549
undurable?1555
shadowish1561
fleeting1563
vading1566
flightful1571
wanzing1571
transitive1575
slipping1581
diary1583
unlasting1585
never-lasting1588
flit1590
post-like1594
running1598
short-lived1598
short-winded1598
transient1599
unpermanent1607
flashy1609
of a day1612
passable1613
dureless1614
urgenta1616
waxena1616
decayable1617
horary1620
evanid1626
fugitable1628
short-dated1632
fugacious1635
ephemerala1639
impermanent1653
fungous1655
volatile1655
ephemerousa1660
unimmortal1667
timesome1674
while-being1674
of passage1680
journal1685
ephemeron1714
admovent1727
evanescent1728
meteorous1750
deciduous1763
preterient1786
ephemeridal1795
meteorica1802
meteor1803
ephemerean1804
ephemerid1804
evanescing1805
fleeted1810
fleet1812
unenduring1814
unremaining1817
unimmortalized1839
impersistent1849
flighty1850
uneternal1862
caducous1863
diurnal1866
horarious1866
brisk1879
evasive1881
picaresque1959
1492 J. Ryman Poems lxxxv, in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1892) 89 255 This worlde is mutabilite, That transitorious is.
?1504 W. Atkinson tr. Thomas à Kempis Ful Treat. Imytacyon Cryste (Pynson) i. i. sig. Aiiv Coruptible ryches, transitorious honours.
?1548 J. Bale Image Bothe Churches (new ed.) i. sig. Dviv Departynge from this transitoryous lyfe.
1616 H. Charteris & W. Arthur in R. Rollock Lect. Hist. Passion Ep. Ded. ¶2v The creatures of God, which in themselues are but transitorious shadowes.
1634 A. Sutcliffe Medit. Man's Mortalitie (ed. 2) i. 15 Did they consider..how short and transitorious this present life is.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2019; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adj.1492