temper
3 synonyms and 0 antonyms for temper, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A person's tendency to become angry, or a fit of anger itself.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use temper
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English temprian, borrowed from Latin temperō, "to mix in due proportion, moderate." Related to "temperature" and "temporal."
Full origin of temper →Frequently asked questions
What does “temper” mean?
The word “temper” means a person's tendency to become angry, or a fit of anger itself. In plain terms, either your tendency to get angry (a "bad temper"), your general mood, or — as a verb — to soften or toughen something.
How do you pronounce “temper”?
“Temper” is pronounced TEHM-puh (/ˈtɛmpɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “temper” in a sentence?
Here is “temper” used in a sentence: “He has a bad temper when things don't go his way.”
What part of speech is “temper”?
Depending on how it is used, “temper” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “temper” come from?
The word “temper” comes from Latin. From Old English temprian, borrowed from Latin temperō, "to mix in due proportion, moderate." Related to "temperature" and "temporal.".
Is “temper” a common word?
“Temper” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “temper” have?
“Temper” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person's tendency to become angry, or a fit of anger itself.
What is the difference between "temper" and "anger"?
Temper refers to a person's general tendency to become angry or to a specific outburst of anger, while anger itself is the emotion. You might say someone "has a temper" as a trait, or "lost their temper" to describe a single angry episode.
What does it mean to "temper" something like advice or criticism?
To temper something means to moderate or soften it so it becomes less extreme or harsh, such as tempering criticism with encouragement. This figurative sense comes from the technical meaning of controlling heat to adjust the strength of metal or glass.
What is the difference between tempering metal and tempering glass?
Both processes use controlled heating and cooling to toughen the material, but tempered glass is typically heated then rapidly cooled to make it shatter-resistant, while tempered metal is heated and cooled in stages to adjust hardness and flexibility. In everyday use, "temper" simply describes this general toughening technique.