temperament

UK: /ˈtɛmp^ərəmənt/

US: /ˈtɛmpərəmənt, -prəmənt/

US: (tem′pər ə mənt, -prə mənt, -pər mənt)

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

tem•per•a•ment /ˈtɛmpərəmənt, -prəmənt/   n. 

1. Psychology nature or frame of mind;
   natural disposition:
   [uncountable] differences in temperament between the twins.
   [countable] The child has an easygoing temperament.
2. unusual frame of mind, as shown by unusual actions:
   [uncountable] a display of temperament.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

tem•per•a•ment  (tem′pər ə mənt, -prə mənt, -pər mənt), n. 

1. Psychology the combination of mental, physical, and emotional traits of a person;
   natural predisposition.
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. Physiology (old physiology) the combination of the four cardinal humors, the relative proportions of which were supposed to determine physical and mental constitution.
4. Music and Dance
   • 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.
   • a particular system of doing this.
5. [Archaic.] an act of tempering or moderating.
6. [Archaic.] climate.

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

Synonyms

• 1. nature, makeup. See disposition. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

temperament / ˈtɛmpərəmənt -prəmənt/ noun

1. an individual's character, disposition, and tendencies as revealed in his or her reactions
2. excitability, moodiness, or anger, esp when displayed openly
3. the characteristic way an individual behaves, esp towards other people
   See also character, personality
4. an adjustment made to the frequency differences between notes on a keyboard instrument to allow modulation to other keys
5. 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
6. the characteristic way an individual behaves, viewed as the result of the influence of the four humours (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile)
7. an obsolete word for temperature

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin temperāmentum a mixing in proportion, from temperāre to temper