Legal Definitions - temporal lord

A temporal lord is a member of the English peerage who holds a seat in Parliament. This title is given to those who have attained the rank of a peer, which is a high level of nobility. It is also used to refer to a property owner whose land is in a tenant's possession.

• Lord John Smith is a temporal lord who sits in the House of Lords.
• As a temporal lord, Lady Jane owns several properties that are rented out to tenants.

These examples illustrate how the term "temporal lord" is used to refer to both a member of the English peerage and a property owner. In the first example, Lord John Smith is referred to as a temporal lord because he holds a seat in Parliament. In the second example, Lady Jane is referred to as a temporal lord because she owns properties that are rented out to tenants.