temperamental
Americanadjective
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having or exhibiting a strongly marked, individual temperament.
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moody, irritable, or sensitive.
a temperamental artist.
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given to erratic behavior; unpredictable.
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of or relating to temperament; constitutional.
temperamental differences.
adjective
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easily upset or irritated; excitable; volatile
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of, relating to, or caused by temperament
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informal working erratically and inconsistently; unreliable
a temperamental sewing machine
Other Word Forms
- nontemperamental adjective
- nontemperamentally adverb
- temperamentally adverb
- untemperamental adjective
- untemperamentally adverb
Etymology
Origin of temperamental
First recorded in 1640–50; temperament + -al 1
Explanation
If your moods change quickly and dramatically, people might describe you as temperamental. If you weren't so temperamental, maybe your friends would open up to you more. Did I say something wrong? The adjective temperamental can also be used to describe objects that behave unpredictably. A temperamental air conditioner can make for a long, hot summer. Fortunately, you're not temperamental or you might have smashed it to bits by now. The second “e” in temperamental gets swallowed so that it sounds like "temp-ra-MENT-al" (four syllables).
Vocabulary lists containing temperamental
Into the Wild
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The Lightning Thief
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This Week In Culture, April 26–May 2, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"But young stars are so extremely spotty, active, and temperamental, that the Doppler method is a non-starter."
From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2026
Netflix has appealed to investors over the past decade precisely because it has been able to focus on streaming without the baggage of managing a declining cable-TV business and dealing with a temperamental theatrical market.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026
She said when there are two temperamental personalities together "there is going to be an explosion".
From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026
The temperamental 2022 Wimbledon finalist, one of tennis's most dynamic players when at the top of his game, makes his comeback at the season-opening Brisbane International.
From Barron's • Jan. 3, 2026
Seabiscuit’s temperamental outburst had left him hopelessly beaten, but as Pollard angled him into the stretch and asked him to get his mind back on running, Smith witnessed something he would never forget.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
