temperamental

[ tem-per-uh-men-tl, -pruh-men-, -per-men- ]

adjective

1. having or exhibiting a strongly marked, individual temperament.
2. moody, irritable, or sensitive:

   a temperamental artist.

   Synonyms: emotional, volatile, excitable

3. given to erratic behavior; unpredictable.
4. of or relating to temperament; constitutional:

   temperamental differences.

temperamental

/ ˌtɛmpərəˈmɛntəl; -prəˈmɛntəl /

adjective

1. easily upset or irritated; excitable; volatile
2. of, relating to, or caused by temperament
3. informal.
   working erratically and inconsistently; unreliable

   a temperamental sewing machine

Derived Forms

• ˌtemperaˈmentally, adverb

Other Words From

• temper·a·mental·ly adverb
• nontem·per·a·mental adjective
• nontem·per·a·mental·ly adverb
• untem·per·a·mental adjective
• untem·per·a·mental·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of temperamental¹

First recorded in 1640–50; temperament + -al ¹

Example Sentences

From the urban and temperamental streets of Buenos Aires and vast pampas to extraordinary landscapes of Patagonia you find variety of objects and shapes to climb.

From Outside Online

Mayli is a strong woman — very temperamental, self-confident — and she spoke to me that way.

From Washington Blade

Big Shot, premiering April 16, stars John Stamos as Marvyn Korn, a wildly successful but notoriously temperamental college basketball coach whose NCAA career comes to an abrupt halt following an ugly chair-throwing incident.

From Time

By decoupling creative excellence from the temperamental excesses of big-ego chefdom, the industry will develop new role models and new practices that promote healthier work environments.

From Eater

On the surface, the inventory is unpredictable and temperamental.

From Search Engine Land

Both a rocket engine with a temperamental record and an airframe of revolutionary design and construction had to be proved safe.

From The Daily Beast

His father could be temperamental and misogynistic, but the family was never plagued with major money-laundering or sex scandals.

From The Daily Beast

In addition to his temperamental aversion to populism, Roosevelt also had a practical reason to be cautious.

From The Daily Beast

There, Armstrong became famous for flying the dangerous and temperamental X-15 rocket plane.

From The Daily Beast

If a writer is by definition a temperamental soul, than a Russian writer represents perhaps a most temperamental soul.

From The Daily Beast

But they have not the invincible carelessness or temperamental springiness of the old lot—and how should they?

From Project Gutenberg

So temperamental a creature as Sylvia would be prone to exaggerate a situation.

From Project Gutenberg

She bore him one child, Rebecca, of a temperamental nature, and of deep piety like her mother.

From Project Gutenberg

I believe he is incapable of cruelty—physical, mental, or temperamental—quite incapable of it.

From Project Gutenberg

And now she will begin on her eternal subject: a dead friend who was done to death by her husband's temperamental cruelty.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• capricious
• erratic
• excitable
• fickle
• headstrong
• high-strung
• impatient
• irritable
• mercurial
• moody
• ornery
• passionate
• petulant
• thin-skinned
• unpredictable
• unreliable
• unstable
• volatile