A productive cough brings up sputum from the respiratory tract; this process helps speed recovery from inflammation of the airways and lungs. A nonproductive cough is dry and scratchy, raises no sputum, and is typically a response to allergies or medication.
The adjective temporary is used to describe something that isn't permanent or lasts only a short time. Its roots are in the Latin word tempus, meaning time or season.. An employee who isn't a permanent addition to the staff is temporary and in this use, the word is often shortened to temp.
Definition of transient. 1  1 : one that is transient (see 1transient): such asa : a guest or boarder who stays only brieflyb : a person traveling about usually in search of work. 2  2a : a temporary oscillation that occurs in a circuit because of a sudden change of voltage or of loadb : a transient current or voltage.