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Added 9 October 2026

temper

/ˈtɛmpə/ noun

Categories: FeelingsDescribing WordsUncommon Words

Latin root: temperō Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about temper at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A general tendency or orientation towards a certain type of mood, a volatile state; a habitual way of thinking, behaving or reacting.
    to have a good, bad, or calm temper
  2. State of mind; mood.
  3. A tendency to become angry.
    Mind your hasty temper!

verb

  1. To moderate or control.
    Temper your language around children.
  2. To strengthen or toughen a material, especially metal, by heat treatment; anneal.
    Tempering is a heat treatment technique applied to metals, alloys, and glass to achieve greater toughness by increasing the strength of materials and/or ductility. Tempering is performed by a controlled reheating of the work piece to a temperature below its lower eutectic critical temperature.
  3. To adjust the temperature of an ingredient (e.g. eggs or chocolate) gradually so that it remains smooth and pleasing.

Origin

From Middle English temperen, tempren, from Old English ġetemprian, temprian, borrowed from Latin temperō (“(transitive) to divide or proportion duly, to moderate, to regulate; (intransitive) to be moderate, temperate”), from tempus (“time, fit season”). Compare also French tempérer. Doublet of tamper. See temporal.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Related Words: moodmoderatehardentoughnesshumorhumoursnappishnesspiquechastenpettishnessirritabilitysurliness

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