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   tem·per·a·ment

   /ˈtemp(ə)rəm(ə)nt/

   noun

   • 1. a person's or animal's nature, especially as it permanently affects their behavior: "she had an artistic temperament" Similar dispositionnaturecharacterpersonalitymakeupconstitutioncomplexiontempermindspiritstampmettlemoldmoodframe of mindcast of mindbenttendencyattitudeoutlookarchaic:grainhumor
   • ▪ the tendency to behave angrily or emotionally: "he had begun to show signs of temperament" Similar volatilityexcitabilityemotionalismmercurialnesscapriciousnesshot-headednessquick-temperednesshot-temperednessirritabilityimpatiencepetulancemoodinesstouchinesssensitivityoversensitivityhypersensitivityOpposite placidityphlegm
   • 2. the adjustment of intervals in tuning a piano or other musical instrument so as to fit the scale for use in different keys; in equal temperament, the octave consists of twelve equal semitones: "this temperament became standard tuning for all the new organs"

   Word Origin late Middle English: from Latin temperamentum ‘correct mixture’, from temperare ‘mingle’. In early use the word was synonymous with the noun temper.

   Scrabble Points: 17

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