temper

[ tem-per ]

noun

1. a particular state of mind or feelings.

   Synonyms: point of view, perspective, outlook, inclination, attitude, humor, frame of mind, cheer

2. habit of mind, especially with respect to irritability or patience, outbursts of anger, or the like; disposition:

   an even temper.

   Synonyms: temperament, spirit, nature, makeup, habit, grain, disposition

3. heat of mind or passion, shown in outbursts of anger, resentment, etc.

   Synonyms: irritation, irritability, crossness, annoyance, resentment, petulance

4. calm disposition or state of mind:

   to be out of temper.

   Synonyms: composure, equanimity

5. a substance added to something to modify its properties or qualities.
6. Metallurgy.
   1. the degree of hardness and strength imparted to a metal, as by quenching, heat treatment, or cold working.
   2. the percentage of carbon in tool steel.
   3. the operation of tempering.
7. Archaic. a middle course; compromise.
8. Obsolete. the constitution or character of a substance.

verb (used with object)

1. to moderate or mitigate:

   to temper justice with mercy.

2. to soften or tone down.
3. to bring to a proper, suitable, or desirable state by or as by blending or admixture.
4. to moisten, mix, and work up into proper consistency, as clay or mortar.
5. Metallurgy. to impart strength or toughness to (steel or cast iron) by heating and cooling.
6. to produce internal stresses in (glass) by sudden cooling from low red heat; toughen.
7. to tune (a keyboard instrument, as a piano, organ, or harpsichord) so as to make the tones available in different keys or tonalities.
8. to modify (color) by mixing with a medium.
9. Archaic. to combine or blend in due proportions.
10. Archaic. to pacify.

verb (used without object)

1. to be or become tempered.

temper

/ ˈtɛmpə /

noun

1. a frame of mind; mood or humour

   a good temper

2. a sudden outburst of anger; tantrum
3. a tendency to exhibit uncontrolled anger; irritability
4. a mental condition of moderation and calm (esp in the phrases keep one's temper, lose one's temper, out of temper )
5. the degree of hardness, elasticity, or a similar property of a metal or metal object

verb

1. to make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate

   he tempered his criticism with kindly sympathy

2. to strengthen or toughen (a metal or metal article) by heat treatment, as by heating and quenching
3. music
   1. to adjust the frequency differences between the notes of a scale on (a keyboard instrument) in order to allow modulation into other keys
   2. to make such an adjustment to the pitches of notes in (a scale)
4. See adapt
   a rare word for adapt
5. See mix
   an archaic word for mix

Derived Forms

• ˌtemperaˈbility, noun
• ˈtemperable, adjective
• ˈtemperer, noun

Other Words From

• temper·a·ble adjective
• temper·a·bili·ty noun
• temper·er noun
• non·temper·a·ble adjective
• re·temper verb (used with object)
• un·temper·a·ble adjective
• un·temper·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of temper¹

before 1000; (v.) Middle English tempren, Old English temprian < Latin temperāre to divide or proportion duly, temper; (noun) Middle English: proportion, derivative of the v.

Word History and Origins

Origin of temper¹

Old English temprian to mingle, (influenced by Old French temprer ), from Latin temperāre to mix, probably from tempus time

Idioms and Phrases

see hold one's temper ; lose one's temper .

Synonym Study

See disposition. See modify.

Example Sentences

He could be moody and irritable in the best of times, but now it was ratcheted up to new levels of intensity, and it seemed like I was often bearing the brunt of his foul temper.

From Ozy

JaMarcus had always been slow to anger, but DeArthur noticed he was developing a temper.

From ProPublica

It felt like really bad parenting — your child threw a temper tantrum and you gave him the cake just to shut him up.

From Ozy

He had a temper we couldn’t predict, but in the afternoons, the two of us could spend hours exploring the world inside his parking lot.

From MIT Technology Review

I can’t rationalize as much as I want to why I was a yeller or continue to have a bad temper.

From Fortune

“When I was a kid I used to have temper tantrums on the basketball court,” he says.

From The Daily Beast

“I have an unfortunate temper that flares up not too often, thank God,” Baquet says.

From The Daily Beast

He is said to have received a warning from the overall al Qaeda organization to temper his videos.

From The Daily Beast

Any argument I try to hold comes tumbling out in the form of a whiny temper tantrum.

From The Daily Beast

Again, the Israeli temper is hot and quick, sometimes reason becomes blinded and emotions take control.

From The Daily Beast

The Marshals were inclined to attribute their disgrace to the ill-will of Berthier and not to the temper of Napoleon.

From Project Gutenberg

But he marred it all by a temper so ungovernable that in Paris there was current a byword, "Explosive as Garnache."

From Project Gutenberg

If any one has lost his temper, as well as his money, he takes good care not to show it; to do so here would be indeed bad form.

From Project Gutenberg

Victor was the younger son and brother—a tete montee, with a temper which invited violence and a will which no ax could break.

From Project Gutenberg

All these exhibitions of temper and anger result from what I have pointed out to your Majesty in many other letters.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abate
• allay
• alleviate
• assuage
• cool
• curb
• dilute
• ease
• lessen
• mitigate
• mollify
• restrain
• soften
• soothe
• tone down
• weaken