temper tantrum

American  

noun

1. tantrum.

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Usage

What does temper tantrum mean? A temper tantrum is an angry outburst by someone who has lost their temper in reaction to something they didn’t want to happen. The word tantrum by itself means the same thing.Temper tantrums are often loud and they can be violent. A child kicking and screaming in response to being told to turn off the TV is having a temper tantrum.The phrase is typically used to refer to an outburst by a young child, especially a toddler. But it can also be used to refer to an outburst by an adult. When used this way, it’s intended to criticize the person for being unreasonable and acting like a child.Temper tantrum is often used with the verb throw, as in My son threw a temper tantrum right in the middle of the store.Example: I work in customer service, so I’m used to dealing with temper tantrums from people who don’t get their way.

Etymology

Origin of temper tantrum

First recorded in 1925–30

Related Words

• flare-up
• outburst
• temper