Temperament: meaning, definitions and examples

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temperament

 

[ หˆtษ›mp(ษ™)rษ™mษ™nt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

personality trait

Temperament refers to a person's natural predisposition or inclination towards certain behaviors, emotions, and reactions. It is believed to be largely innate and can influence how individuals interact with the world around them.

Synonyms

character, disposition, nature.

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Word Description / Examples
temperament

This word is used to refer to someone's usual mood or emotional nature, especially when talking about how it affects their behavior.

  • She has a calm temperament, which helps her mediate conflicts
  • His fiery temperament makes him a fierce competitor
disposition

This word refers to someone's inherent qualities of mind and character, usually implying their general attitude or mood.

  • Despite the stressful situation, he maintained a cheerful disposition
  • Her sunny disposition makes her easy to get along with
nature

Commonly used to talk about the fundamental qualities or essence of a person, often referring to their true or innate tendencies.

  • It's in her nature to be curious and always ask questions
  • His generous nature made him well-liked by everyone
character

This term broadly describes the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. Often used when talking about someone's integrity or personality traits.

  • He is known for his strong character and honesty
  • Her character was tested during the crisis, and she proved to be very resilient

Examples of usage

  • Her cheerful temperament made her popular among her peers.
  • The child's shy temperament made it difficult for him to make new friends.
  • His fiery temperament often got him into arguments with his colleagues.
Context #2 | Noun

music

In music theory, temperament refers to the tuning system used to divide an octave into intervals. Different temperaments can affect the sound and character of music.

Synonyms

harmony, intonation, tuning.

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Word Description / Examples
temperament

Describes a person's characteristic mood or behavior, especially in terms of how they generally react to situations. Often used in psychology or personality discussions.

  • Her calm temperament makes her an excellent leader
  • The dog's friendly temperament makes it perfect as a family pet
tuning

Relates to the adjustment of musical instruments to the correct or desired pitch. Used primarily in music and audio engineering.

  • The guitarist spent several minutes on tuning his instrument before the concert
  • Proper tuning makes the piano sound much better
intonation

Pertains to the rise and fall of the voice in speaking, usually to express emotion or to distinguish between statements and questions. Used in linguistics and communication.

  • Her intonation showed that she was not happy with the situation
  • The teacher's intonation helped the students understand the importance of the topic
harmony

Refers to the pleasing arrangement of parts, especially in music, relationships, or design. Often used in discussions of music, social interactions, or aesthetics.

  • The choir's harmony was perfect in their performance
  • They lived in harmony with their neighbors

Examples of usage

  • The use of equal temperament in Western music allows for flexibility in playing different keys.
  • Baroque composers often wrote music that took advantage of the nuances of different temperaments.

Translations

Translations of the word "temperament" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น temperamento

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฎเคฟเคœเคผเคพเคœ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Temperament

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ temperamen

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั‚ะตะผะฟะตั€ะฐะผะตะฝั‚

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ temperament

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆฐ—่ณช (ใใ—ใค)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท tempรฉrament

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ temperamento

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท mizaca

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๊ธฐ์งˆ (gijil)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุฒุงุฌ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ temperament

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ temperament

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆ€งๆ ผ (xรฌnggรฉ)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ temperament

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ skapgerรฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั‚ะตะผะฟะตั€ะฐะผะตะฝั‚

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒขแƒ”แƒ›แƒžแƒ”แƒ แƒแƒ›แƒ”แƒœแƒขแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ temperament

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ temperamento

Etymology

The word 'temperament' originated from the Latin word 'temperamentum', meaning 'mixing' or 'tempering'. It first appeared in English in the 15th century with the sense of 'proper mixture of elements in the body'. Over time, it evolved to also refer to a person's natural disposition or to music theory. The concept of temperament has been studied by psychologists, musicians, and philosophers throughout history.

See also: intemperance, intemperate, temperance, temperate, temperature, tempering.

Word Frequency Rank

Position #8,524 indicates this is an advanced-level word. While not essential for basic communication, it will enhance your ability to understand and create more nuanced content.