Meaning & use
temperaments
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“temperaments” is a form of “temperament”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
The natural ways in which people or animals tend to feel and behave, such as being calm, shy or quick to anger.
Grammar: Plural form of countable use: different temperaments in one family; the word can also be uncountable.
Patterns
- a calm temperament
- a temperament for something
The twins have very different temperaments, one shy and one outgoing.
Dogs of this breed are known for their gentle temperaments.
Two people with opposing temperaments can still become close friends.
nounusually pluralinformal
Quick, strong changes of mood and a tendency to react with anger or excitement, often in artists or performers.
Grammar: Often appears in the phrase artistic temperaments or temperaments flared.
Patterns
- temperaments flare
- artistic temperaments
Tempers and temperaments flared when the band argued about the song.
Directors must deal with the temperaments of many creative people.
Her artistic temperament made rehearsals dramatic.
nouncountableold-fashionedspecialist
In the old theory of the four humors, the four types of personality, such as sanguine and melancholic.
Grammar: Used as a historical term: the four temperaments.
Patterns
- the four temperaments
Medieval writers divided people into four temperaments.
The class read about the four temperaments and their supposed causes.
Each of the temperaments was linked to a bodily fluid.
Word forms
| singular | temperament |
|---|
Common combinations
- different temperaments
- They have different temperaments but get along well.
- calm temperaments
- These horses have calm temperaments.
- fiery temperaments
- Players with fiery temperaments often get fouls.
- contrasting temperaments
- The partners have contrasting temperaments.
- match temperaments
- It helps to match temperaments when choosing a roommate.
Synonyms and how they differ
- personalities
- Personalities is wider and covers everything about a person, while temperaments focuses on emotional tendencies that seem inborn.
- dispositions
- Dispositions is more formal and stresses a settled tendency to act in a certain way.
- natures
- Natures is general and a little old-fashioned, sounding like the basic character of someone.
- tempers
- Tempers refers to current moods, especially anger, rather than lasting character.
Word family
- temperament noun
- one person's natural character
- temperamental adjective
- moody or unpredictable
- temperamentally adverb
- in a way connected with natural character
- temper noun
- a mood, or a tendency to get angry
Commonly confused: temperaments or temperature? temperaments or temperance?
temperaments vs temperature
Temperature is how hot or cold something is. Temperament is about character and mood.
temperaments vs temperance
Temperance means self-control, especially avoiding alcohol, not a person's general character.
Practice
The two brothers have very different ______: one is calm and the other is easily upset.
Choose one answer.
Temperaments are natural patterns of emotion and behavior. Temperatures measure heat, which would not describe character.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “temperaments”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.