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

/ -prəˈmɛntəl, ˌtɛmpərəˈmɛntəl /

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

Other Word Forms

• temperamentally adverb
• nontemperamental adjective
• nontemperamentally adverb
• untemperamental adjective
• untemperamentally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of temperamental¹

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

Example Sentences

Nonetheless, today they rank as one of Egypt’s most important—if temperamental—food crops.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

As Frank Costanza, the temperamental father of Jason Alexander’s George Costanza, Stiller’s boisterous personality and comic timing stole scenes and scored the actor an Emmy nomination, 40 years into his career.

Read more on Salon

One lift has been out of order for a week and the other is "temperamental", residents said.

Read more on BBC

Also, while I’m usually a brown butter devotee, it’s too temperamental here.

Read more on Salon

"We have two cats and one of them is a bit temperamental with me, like one minute she's all right, next minute she absolutely hates me," he told police.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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