What Does the Latin Phrase “Ad Hoc” Mean?

Last updated on September 8, 2024 by Isabella Claire

There are many millions of words and phrases that we use in our everyday life, but have you ever stopped to consider where some of them came from and just how we ended using them? What about ad hoc? Did you know that it’s actually Latin?

Ad Hoc Meaning and Origin

  • Ad hoc is a phrase that means something that is used for a special purpose and has been formed for immediate use, without any prior planning.
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What Does Ad Hoc Mean?

“Ad hoc” is a Latin phrase that means “for this” or “for this specific purpose.” It is used to describe something created or done for a particular purpose or situation, often as a temporary or improvised solution.

In practice, “ad hoc” is often used to refer to:

  1. Committees or Groups: An “ad hoc committee” is formed for a specific task or issue and is disbanded once the task is completed.
  2. Decisions or Actions: An “ad hoc decision” is made in response to a particular problem or need, without being part of a regular plan or system.
  3. Solutions or Arrangements: An “ad hoc solution” is a temporary or improvised fix to address an immediate need or issue, rather than a permanent or planned one.

Origin of Ad Hoc

Ad hoc is a Latin phrase that means “to this”. In English, it generally means “for this specific purpose” and “as it happens”.

The phrase was first known to be used as an adverb in 1639 and as an adjective in 1879. It was initially used in mainly legal documents before it became more widespread in the late 1800’s. Around that time it also began to be used in a scientific context, using the phrase “ad hoc hypothesis” to mean a scientific excuse and something that could be brushed aside as mere folly.

Other Similar Acronyms

A similar phrase to ad hoc is “ad lib”. Ad lib is short for ad libitum which is also Latin. Ad lib means “without preparation” and also “as much as desired”.

For example:

  • “She spoke ad lib” means she spoke without any preparation.
  • “The cows are fed ad lib” means they are fed as much as they desire.

Other Meanings

Ad hoc can also have the following meanings:

  • Unexpected
  • Unprepared
  • Unplanned
  • Unrehearsed
  • Improvised
  • Impromptu
  • Impulsive
  • Spur of the moment
  • Makeshift
  • Spontaneous
  • On-the-spot
  • Ad-lib

In computing, ad hoc has another meaning. The term “ad hoc networks” is used to describe a series of computers that are connected to others without a router on a temporary basis.

Ad Hoc Examples

  • The train made an ad hoc stop half an hour after it set off. (This phrase means it was an unscheduled stop.)
  • Jim had an ad hoc job. (This phrase means he works as needed.)
  • They created an ad hoc film set. (This phrase means an improvised set.)
  • The group was formed on an ad hoc basis.
  • We deal with problems ad hoc.
  • They had an ad hoc party following their announcement.
  • They decided to hire more workers on an ad hoc basis.
  • She always made decisions ad hoc.
  • It was an ad hoc investigation.
  • The government formed an ad hoc committee to deal with the matter.
  • The festival had been organized in a very ad hoc manner.
  • They had to make a lot of ad hoc changes to the plans.
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