room temperature

American  

[room tem-per-uh-cher, -choor, -pruh-, -per-cher, room] / ˈrum ˈtɛm pər ə tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər, -prə-, -pər tʃər, ˈrʊm /

noun

1. a temperature at which food, drink, medicine, etc., is neither cooled nor heated.

   Unopened, our sauces can be stored at room temperature for months, but opened jars must be refrigerated.

   The cheeses are best served at room temperature.

2. any indoor temperature that falls within a range considered comfortable for human occupancy.

   We tested the strength of the bond at room temperature and at 140°F.

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room temperature British  

noun

1. the normal temperature of a living room, usually taken as being around 20°C

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Etymology

Origin of room temperature

First recorded in 1845–50

Example Sentences

And unlike the superconducting loops favored by International Business Machines and Google, which must be chilled to temperatures colder than deep space, photonic interconnects can operate at room temperature.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

The approach provides a distinct advantage: Xanadu’s machines will be able to function at room temperature, eliminating the need for the bulky refrigerators needed to cool the components of most computers to absolute zero.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

If you’re bringing something that needs to stay cold — a mayonnaise-based salad, a dairy-heavy dip, anything that shouldn’t spend hours at room temperature — think about how it will travel.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

At room temperature, the oxygen-doped electrolyte achieved an ionic conductivity of about 1.78 mS/cm, while the sulfur-doped version reached approximately 1.01 mS/cm.

From Science Daily • Jan. 9, 2026

If the electricity goes, chicken will keep at room temperature.

From "Ninth Ward" by Jewell Parker Rhodes