distemper

UK: /dɪsˈtɛmpə^r/ US: /dɪsˈtɛmpɚ/ ,(dis tem′pər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

dis•tem•per¹ /dɪsˈtɛmpɚ/   n. [uncountable]

1. Veterinary Diseases an infectious disease esp. of dogs, with fever and difficulty in breathing.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dis•tem•per¹  (dis tem′pər), n. 

1. Veterinary Diseases
   • Also called canine distemper. an infectious disease chiefly of young dogs, caused by an unidentified virus and characterized by lethargy, fever, catarrh, photophobia, and vomiting.
   • Also called colt distemper, equine distemper, strangles. an infectious disease of horses, caused by the bacillus Streptococcus equi and characterized by catarrh of the upper air passages and the formation of pus in the submaxillary and other lymphatic glands.
   • Also called cat distemper, feline agranulocytosis, feline distemper, feline infectious enteritis, feline panleukopenia. a usually fatal viral disease of cats, characterized by fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration.
2. Pathology, Psychiatry a deranged condition of mind or body;
   a disorder or disease:
   a feverish distemper.
3. disorder or disturbance, esp. of a political nature.

v.t. 

4. [Obs.] to derange physically or mentally.

• Medieval Latin distemperāre, equivalent. to Latin dis- dis-¹ + temperāre to temper
• Middle French destemprer)
• Middle English distemp(e)ren, destempren (verb, verbal) (1300–50

dis•tem′pered•ly, adv. 
dis•tem′pered•ness, n. 

dis•tem•per²  (dis tem′pər), n. 

1. Fine Art [Art.]
   • a technique of decorative painting in which glue or gum is used as a binder or medium to achieve a mat surface and rapid drying.
   • (formerly) the tempera technique.
2. Fine Art a painting executed by this method.
3. British Terms whitewash;
   calcimine.

v.t. 

4. Fine Art to paint in distemper.
5. British Terms to whitewash a wall, cottage, etc.;
   calcimine.

• Medieval Latin distemperāre to dissolve, dilute, equivalent. to Latin dis- dis-¹ + temperāre to blend, temper
• Anglo-French distemprer)
• Middle English distemperen (verb, verbal) (1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

distemper / dɪsˈtɛmpə/ noun

1. any of various infectious diseases of animals, esp canine distemper, a highly contagious viral disease of dogs, characterized initially by high fever and a discharge from the nose and eyes
   See also hard pad, strangles
2. a disease or disorder
3. disturbance
4. discontent

Etymology: 14th Century: from Late Latin distemperāre to derange the health of, from Latin dis-¹ + temperāre to mix in correct proportions

distemper / dɪsˈtɛmpə/ noun

1. a technique of painting in which the pigments are mixed with water, glue, size, etc, used for poster, mural, and scene painting
2. the paint used in this technique or any of various water-based paints, including, in Britain, whitewash

verb

1. to paint (something) with distemper

Etymology: 14th Century: from Medieval Latin distemperāre to soak, from Latin dis-¹ + temperāre to mingle