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

"Using the methods described in this paper, we can now process superconducting MXenes into flexible films, coatings or wires at room temperature for potential superconducting interconnectors or quantum sensors," Zhang said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

"The research and proof-of-concept validates the exciting potential of quantum batteries to achieve rapid, scalable charging and energy storage at room temperature, laying the groundwork for next-gen energy solutions," Dr. Quach said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 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

But water was available only to the children, while the rest were to revive themselves with a dessert wine at room temperature.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan