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temperament

noun
tem·​per·​a·​ment | \ ˈtem-p(ə-)rə-mənt How to pronounce temperament (audio) , -pər-mənt\

Definition of temperament

1a : characteristic or habitual inclination or mode of emotional response a nervous temperament
b : extremely high sensibility especially : excessive sensitiveness or irritability
c : the peculiar or distinguishing mental or physical character determined by the relative proportions of the humors according to medieval physiology
2a : the act or process of tempering or modifying : adjustment, compromise
b : middle course : mean
3 : the slight modification of acoustically pure intervals in tuning a musical instrument especially : modification that produces a set of 12 equally spaced tones to the octave

4 obsolete

a : constitution of a substance, body, or organism with respect to the mixture or balance of its elements, qualities, or parts : makeup
b : complexion sense 1

5 obsolete

a : climate
b : temperature sense 1
Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Why is temperament spelled the way it is? What is the difference between disposition and predisposition? More Example Sentences Learn More about temperament

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Synonyms for temperament

Synonyms

disposition, grain, nature, temper

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Choose the Right Synonym for temperament

disposition, temperament, temper, character, personality mean the dominant quality or qualities distinguishing a person or group. disposition implies customary moods and attitude toward the life around one. a cheerful disposition temperament implies a pattern of innate characteristics associated with one's specific physical and nervous organization. an artistic temperament temper implies the qualities acquired through experience that determine how a person or group meets difficulties or handles situations. a resilient temper character applies to the aggregate of moral qualities by which a person is judged apart from intelligence, competence, or special talents. strength of character personality applies to an aggregate of qualities that distinguish one as a person. a somber personality

Why is temperament spelled the way it is?

Blame Latin.

Like the related noun temper (which most often refers to a person's tendency to become angry, but also has a neutral sense very close to that of temperament, among other meanings) temperament traces back to a Latin word, temperare, which means "to mix or blend." The a in temperare lives on in the modern spelling of temperament.

Temperament is an old word (it dates to the 15th century) with multiple meanings, but in modern use it typically refers to the usual attitude, mood, or behavior of a person or animal. If you're adopting a dog, you might look for one with a sweet temperament; you might describe someone who is often nervous as having a nervous temperament.

What is the difference between disposition and predisposition?

What exactly is someone's disposition? And is it different from a predisposition? A person's disposition is his or her usual mood or attitude. Are you typically pretty happy? You could be described as having a happy—or cheerful, or sunny—disposition. Animals have dispositions too; a dog with a nervous disposition doesn't easily relax into a restful pup curled up at someone’s feet. In this use, disposition is a synonym of temperament; both words refer to the complex set of attitudes and inclinations that guide behavior.

Disposition can also mean "tendency" or "inclination," and in such cases it has a surprising synonym: predisposition. A disposition to exaggerate is the same as a predisposition to exaggerate. A disposition toward humility is likewise the same thing as a predisposition toward humility. The fact of being "in advance" that the prefix pre- implies hardly matters when tendency and inclination are concerned, since both concern what is likely to happen in the future.

While phrases like "a disposition to cooperate" are about as common as "a predisposition to cooperate," when the context is medical, predisposition is far more common. Phrases like "a genetic predisposition to nearsightedness" appear much more frequently in published, edited text than similar phrases employing disposition.

Examples of temperament in a Sentence

The two women were opposite in temperament. looking for a dog with a sweet temperament

Recent Examples on the Web

 Fortune's nephew, Jalin Fortune, has his own pitbull, two-year-old Baybee, whose temperament was noticeably different from Bullseye's. — Kat Stafford, Detroit Free Press, "Chained and neglected: Detroit's dog problem persists despite child deaths," 28 Aug. 2019 But like so many examples of decor’s fickle temperament, terracotta’s come roaring back for another turn in the spotlight. — Washington Post, "RIGHT AT HOME: Terracotta makes a color comeback," 20 Aug. 2019 No doubt those with children at the park, especially those dealing with challenging temperaments, could on occasion be jealous of those enjoying the theme park without children. — Richard Tribou, orlandosentinel.com, "Angry mom’s Disney rant raises debate: kids vs. no kids," 29 July 2019 Alligator snappers will snap if threatened, and bites can cause serious injury; but some say their temperament is at odds with their menacing appearance. — Nara Schoenberg, chicagotribune.com, "‘A face only its mother could love’: Ugly, cranky, endangered alligator snapping turtles get boost from Illinois students, who raise and release them into the wild," 27 July 2019 More to the point, Castro’s political temperament, like Obama’s, has traditionally been sunny and even-keeled. — Dara Lind, Vox, "Julián Castro’s 2020 presidential campaign and policies, explained," 26 June 2019 Jayden and Jasmine both seem to have good temperaments for the business, and their experience as influencers has been full of more peaks than valleys. — Judi Ketteler, Good Housekeeping, "Some Kids Are Making Millions as YouTube Stars, but Is the Fame Worth It?," 18 June 2019 Studies show that parents react sensitively to the innate temperament of their offspring and adapt their upbringing accordingly. — Corinna Hartmann, Scientific American, "Does Birth Order Affect Personality?," 8 Aug. 2019 Extensive training ensures each dog has the right temperament. — Los Angeles Times, "These police dogs are trained to help survivors. They’re not here for the bad guys," 22 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'temperament.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of temperament

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

History and Etymology for temperament

Middle English, "regulation of the body's vital spirit, proportion of humors in the body," borrowed from Latin temperāmentum "mixture of substances in proper proportion, mean between hot and cold, compromise between extremes, moderation" (Medieval Latin, "proper balance of bodily humors"), from temperāre "to moderate, bring to a proper strength or consistency by mixing, maintain in a state of balance" + -mentum -ment — more at temper entry 2

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More Definitions for temperament

temperament

noun
How to pronounce temperament (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of temperament

: the usual attitude, mood, or behavior of a person or animal

See the full definition for temperament in the English Language Learners Dictionary

temperament

noun
tem·​per·​a·​ment | \ ˈtem-pə-rə-mənt How to pronounce temperament (audio) , -prə-mənt\

Kids Definition of temperament

: a person's attitude as it affects what he or she says or does “Size has nothing to do with it. It's temperament and ability that count.”— E. B. White, Stuart Little

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