Definition of
Temperament
- (noun, act) an adjustment of the intervals (as in tuning a keyboard instrument) so that the scale can be used to play in different keys
- (noun, attribute) your usual mood
- (noun, attribute) excessive emotionalism or irritability and excitability (especially when displayed openly)
via WordNet, Princeton University
Synonyms of Temperament
Alternate forms of Temperament
Derivations: temperamental
Hyponyms: agreeability, agreeableness, aloneness, animalism, blood, bloodiness, bloodthirstiness, calm, calmness, composure, disagreeableness, discomposure, epicurism, equal temperament, equanimity, esprit de corps, friendliness, good nature, gourmandism, heart, ill nature, involuntariness, loneliness, lonesomeness, moodiness, morale, nervousness, optimism, perfectionism, permissiveness, pessimism, physicality, restrictiveness, solitariness, spirit, team spirit, tolerance, unfriendliness, unpermissiveness, unsociability, unsociableness, unwillingness, willingness
Hypernyms: adjustment, emotionalism, emotionality, nature, readjustment, registration
Origin of the word Temperament
- early 15c., "proportioned mixture of elements," from L. temperamentum "proper mixture," from temperare "to mix" (see temper). In medieval theory, it meant a combination of qualities (hot, cold, moist, dry) that determined the nature of an organism; this was extended to a combination of the four humors (sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, and melancholic) that made up … more
via Online Etymology Dictionary, ©2001 Douglas Harper
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