Ad hoc

 WORD OF THE DAY

ad hoc / adjective / AD-HOCK

Definition
1a: concerned with a particular end or purpose
1b: formed or used for specific or immediate problems or needs
2a: fashioned from whatever is immediately available
2b: improvised

Examples
"The council voted unanimously last fall to establish an ad hoc advisory strategic planning board tasked with writing a new long-range plan for the town."
— Jodie Wagner, The Palm Beach (Florida) Daily News, 12 Apr. 2022

The ad hoc committee, which included faculty, students and nonvoting members of U. administration, held public town hall meetings and gathered other information to produce a 61-page report on divestment.
— Tim Fitzpatrick, The Salt Lake Tribune, 14 May 2022

Did You Know?
In Latin, ad hoc literally means "for this." That historical meaning is clearly reflected in contemporary English uses of ad hoc—anything that is ad hoc can be thought of as existing "for this purpose only."
For example, an "ad hoc committee" is generally authorized to look into a single matter of limited scope, not to pursue any issue of interest.
Ad hoc can also be used as an adverb meaning "for the case at hand apart from other applications," as in "a commission created ad hoc."
The adverb is older: it has been used in English since the mid-17th century, whereas the adjective did not become part of the language until about the mid-19th century.