Pro tempore
Latin phrase "for the time being"
Pro tempore (), abbreviated pro tem or p.t., is a Latin phrase which best translates to 'for the time being' in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a locum tenens 'placeholder'. The phrase is also used to describe officers appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the formalisation of their appointments.
Mayor pro tem
A common use of pro tempore in the United States is in municipalities such as cities and towns with regard to the position of the mayor. In many cities, the city council appoints one of its members (often its president) to act as mayor pro tempore (pro tem) (or vice mayor) in the absence of the actual mayor.
Judge pro tem
In judicial courts, attorneys that volunteer in proceedings are called "judge pro tem" or judge pro tempore, though they may be paid in some circumstances. They typically have to meet some basic criteria to qualify, and often serve as neutrals or mediators in alternative dispute resolution processes. Among other things, they can also serve as masters and interim judges.
Academic leaders: president, vice-president, dean pro tem
Universities sometimes appoint senior positions such as presidents, vice presidents or heads of faculties temporarily until ratified by a board of governors or senate committee. These positions are titled "President pro tempore", "Vice-President pro tempore" or "Dean pro tempore".
The public source identifies “Pro tempore” as latin phrase "for the time being". This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around tempore, Latin and phrase.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Pro tempore”, the useful work is to connect “latin phrase "for the time being"” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1727855. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Pro tempore”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Pro tempore primary sources, Pro tempore archive and tempore research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Pro tempore”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Pro tempore” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.