room temperature

American  

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

noun

room temperatures plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• room temperatures
  plural

Etymology

Origin of room temperature

First recorded in 1845–50

Example Sentences

When AFP visited, the camera recorded the room temperature at 32C, while the kitchen wall was hotter, at 37C.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

Now a new technique, pioneered at Addenbrooke's Hospital, enables the sample to be preserved in a stabilising solution and transported at room temperature instead.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

That engrossing yourself in every meticulous step — from measuring out your own leavening agents to bringing your butter and eggs to room temperature — is what qualifies as real baking.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

One of the technology's most important advantages is that it operates at room temperature.

From Science Daily • Jun. 2, 2026

This makes the oil stay solid at room temperature and so it can be used for margarine.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan