AD HOC: 1: concerned or formed for a particular purpose 2: fashioned from whateer is immediately available: improvished
In Latin, ad hoc literally means "for this." That historical meaning is clearly reflected in its contemorary English uses - anything that is "ad hoc" can be thought of as existing "for this purpose ony." For example, an "ad hoc committee" is generally authorized to look into a single matter of limited scope, not to pursue any interesting issue. "Ad hoc" can also be used 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), but the adjective is no quickly improvised addition to our language; it has been part of English since at least 1879.
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