temperament

American  

[tem-per-uh-muhnt, -pruh-muhnt, -per-muhnt] / ˈtɛm pər ə mənt, -prə mənt, -pər mənt /

noun

1. the combination of mental, physical, and emotional traits of a person; natural predisposition.

   Synonyms:

   makeup, nature

2. unusual personal attitude or nature as manifested by peculiarities of feeling, temper, action, etc., often with a disinclination to submit to conventional rules or restraints.

3. (old physiology) the combination of the four cardinal humors, the relative proportions of which were supposed to determine physical and mental constitution.

4. Music.

   1. the tuning of a keyboard instrument, as the piano, organ, or harpsichord, so that the instrument may be played in all keys without further tuning.

   2. a particular system of doing this.

5. Archaic. an act of tempering or moderating.

6. Archaic. climate.

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temperament British  

/ -prəmənt, ˈtɛmpərəmənt /

noun

1. an individual's character, disposition, and tendencies as revealed in his reactions

2. excitability, moodiness, or anger, esp when displayed openly

   an actress with temperament

3. the characteristic way an individual behaves, esp towards other people See also character personality

4. 1. an adjustment made to the frequency differences between notes on a keyboard instrument to allow modulation to other keys

   2. any of several systems of such adjustment, such as just temperament, a system not practically possible on keyboard instruments, mean-tone temperament, a system giving an approximation to natural tuning, and equal temperament, the system commonly used in keyboard instruments, giving a scale based on an octave divided into twelve exactly equal semitones See also just intonation

5. obsolete the characteristic way an individual behaves, viewed as the result of the influence of the four humours (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile)

6. archaic compromise or adjustment

7. an obsolete word for temperature

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Related Words

See disposition.

Etymology

Origin of temperament

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin temperāmentum due mixture, equivalent to temperā ( re ) to mix properly + -mentum -ment

Example Sentences

The wider questions, however, surround Arsenal's temperament to withstand the pressure that is suddenly closing in on them, an ominous reminder of previous failings.

From BBC

The nominated Oscar shorts come in three categories — and a lot of subjects, styles and temperaments.

From Los Angeles Times

And behind the remarkable story of Andrew's arrest is also a personal story, two brothers, different in temperament, with different responsibilities in their family, who are now on different sides of a police investigation.

From BBC

She wrote the script and began searching for performers whose temperaments matched their Red Crescent counterparts.

From Los Angeles Times

Those two players—Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Moses Malone—couldn’t have been more different in temperament and style.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• attitude
• ego
• humor
• idiosyncrasy
• inclination
• individuality
• intellect
• mentality
• mettle
• mood
• nature
• outlook
• quality
• spirit
• tendency