temperamental

[ tem-per-uh-men-tl, -pruh-men-, -per-men- ]
/ ˌtɛm pər əˈmɛn tl, -prəˈmɛn-, -pərˈmɛn- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR temperamental ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

having or exhibiting a strongly marked, individual temperament.
moody, irritable, or sensitive: a temperamental artist.
given to erratic behavior; unpredictable.
of or relating to temperament; constitutional: temperamental differences.

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Origin of temperamental

First recorded in 1640–50; temperament + -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM temperamental

Words nearby temperamental

temper, temper color, temper tantrum, tempera, temperament, temperamental, temperance, temperate, temperate bacteriophage, temperate zone, temperature
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to temperamental

impatient, mercurial, petulant, ornery, capricious, headstrong, excitable, unpredictable, fickle, unstable, volatile, high-strung, irritable, unreliable, thin-skinned, passionate, erratic, changeable, emotional, explosive

Example sentences from the Web for temperamental

British Dictionary definitions for temperamental

temperamental
/ (ˌtɛmpərəˈmɛntəl, -prəˈmɛntəl) /

adjective

easily upset or irritated; excitable; volatile
of, relating to, or caused by temperament
informal working erratically and inconsistently; unreliablea temperamental sewing machine

Derived forms of temperamental

temperamentally, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012