provisoires

Provisoires is the plural form of the French adjective provisoire, meaning temporary or provisional. In English-language discussions, the term may appear when describing temporary items, measures, or arrangements borrowed from French usage. The root comes from the Latin provisorius, through Old French.

In law and administration, provisions described as provisoires typically refer to temporary instruments or rules that apply until a final decision, law, or policy is enacted. Common contexts include measures provisoires, provisional injunctions, and other interim arrangements designed to maintain the status quo while longer-term solutions are developed. The term emphasizes the provisional nature of the authority or directive in question.

In political history and governance, the phrase gouvernements provisoires or pouvoirs provisoires is used to denote transitional or interim government formations that operate between more permanent administrations. Such bodies usually have limited mandates and timeframes, with responsibilities focused on stabilization, governance, and the preparation of elections or reforms.

In design, architecture, and project management, provisoires can refer to provisional versions, placeholders, or temporary components used during development. Provisional items are later replaced by final designs, specifications, or materials, and are often used to test concepts, interfaces, or workflows before committing to permanent choices.

Linguistically, provisoire is an adjective that declines to agree with noun gender and number. When used with feminine plural nouns, the form provisoires is common, as in mesures provisoires.

See also: provisional, temporary measures, provisional government.