ad hoc
Ad hoc is Latin for "to this" and means “for this purpose only.”
Common examples are an ad hoc committee or an ad hoc commission created for a specific or one-time purpose to address issues that fall outside the scope of other existing committees or commissions. Ad hoc committees are formed on a temporary basis.
In Schmidt v. Contra Costa County , the Ninth Circuit explained; “An ad hoc decision is one taken based on the circumstances of a particular case. An ‘ad hoc’ decision is made ‘with a particular end or purpose,’ as distinguished from ‘a coordinated policy.’"
[Last reviewed in February of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team ]
Wex