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Webster 1913 Edition

Temperament

Tem′per-a-ment

,
Noun.
[L.
temperamentum
a mixing in due proportion, proper measure, temperament: cf. F.
tempérament
. See
Temper
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
Internal constitution; state with respect to the relative proportion of different qualities, or constituent parts.
The common law . . . has reduced the kingdom to its just state and
temperament
.
Sir M. Hale.
2.
Due mixture of qualities; a condition brought about by mutual compromises or concessions.
[Obs.]
However, I forejudge not any probable expedient, any
temperament
that can be found in things of this nature, so disputable on their side.
Milton.
3.
The act of tempering or modifying; adjustment, as of clashing rules, interests, passions, or the like; also, the means by which such adjustment is effected.
Wholesome
temperaments
of the rashness of popular assemblies.
Sir J. Mackintosh.
4.
Condition with regard to heat or cold; temperature.
[Obs.]
Bodies are denominated “hot” and “cold” in proportion to the present
temperament
of that part of our body to which they are applied.
Locke.
5.
(Mus.)
A system of compromises in the tuning of organs, pianofortes, and the like, whereby the tones generated with the vibrations of a ground tone are mutually modified and in part canceled, until their number reduced to the actual practicable scale of twelve tones to the octave. This scale, although in so far artificial, is yet closely suggestive of its origin in nature, and this system of tuning, although not mathematically true, yet satisfies the ear, while it has the convenience that the same twelve fixed tones answer for every key or scale, C♯ becoming identical with D♭, and so on.
6.
(Physiol.)
The peculiar physical and mental character of an individual, in olden times erroneously supposed to be due to individual variation in the relations and proportions of the constituent parts of the body, especially of the fluids, as the bile, blood, lymph, etc. Hence the phrases, bilious or choleric temperament, sanguine temperament, etc., implying a predominance of one of these fluids and a corresponding influence on the temperament.
Equal temperament
(Mus.)
,
that in which the variations from mathematically true pitch are distributed among all the keys alike.
–
Unequal temperament
(Mus.)
,
that in which the variations are thrown into the keys least used.

Webster 1828 Edition

Temperament

TEM'PERAMENT

,
Noun.
[L. temperamentum.]
1.
Constitution; state with respect to the predominance of any quality; as the temperament of the body.
Bodies are denominated hot and cold, in proportion to the present temperament of that part of our body to which they are applied.
2.
Medium; due mixture of different qualities.
The common law--has reduced the kingdom to its just state and temperament.
3.
In music, temperament is an operation which, by means of a slight alteration in the intervals, causes the difference between two contiguous sounds to disappear, and makes each of them appear identical with the other.
Temperament is the accommodation or adjustment of the imperfect sounds, by transferring a part of their defects to the more perfect ones, to remedy in part the false intervals of instruments of fixed sounds, as the organ, harpsichord, forte piano, &c.
The harshness of a given concord increases with the temperament.

Definition 2024

Temperament

Temperament

See also: temperament and tempérament

German

Noun

Temperament n ‎(genitive Temperaments or Temperamentes, plural Temperamente)

  1. temperament

Declension

Derived terms

temperament

temperament

See also: Temperament and tempérament

English

Noun

temperament ‎(countable and uncountable, plural temperaments)

  1. (obsolete) A moderate and proportionable mixture of elements or ingredients in a compound; the condition in which elements are mixed in their proper proportions.
  2. (obsolete) Any state or condition as determined by the proportion of its ingredients or the manner in which they are mixed; consistence, composition; mixture.
  3. A person's normal manner of thinking, behaving or reacting.
  4. A tendency to become irritable or angry.
  5. (music) The altering of certain intervals from their correct values in order to improve the moving from key to key.

Translations

References

  1. ↑ “temperament” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
  2. ↑ “temperament” in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Online.

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • Hyphenation: tem‧pe‧ra‧ment

Etymology

From Middle French tempérament, from Latin temperamentum.

Noun

temperament n ‎(plural temperamenten, diminutive temperamentje n)

  1. (psychology) temperament: the usual mood of a person, or typical manner of thinking, behaving, and acting
    Oorspronkelijk waren in de Griekse oudheid de temperamenten de naam voor vier persoonlijkheidstypen: het sanguïnische, flegmatische, cholerische en melancholische temperament.
    Originally, in Greek antiquity, the temperaments were the names of the four personality types: the sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric and melancholy temperaments.
  2. temperament: a tendency to become irritable or angry, temper
  3. (music) temperament: a specific system of note pitches of a musical instrument

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From German Temperament, from Latin temperamentum.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /temperǎment/
  • Hyphenation: tem‧pe‧ra‧ment

Noun

temperàment m ‎(Cyrillic spelling темпера̀мент)

  1. (psychology) temperament

Declension

References

Etymology

From Middle French tempérament, from Latin temperamentum.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈtempəɹəmənt/, /ˈtempɹəmənt/, /ˈtempəɹmənt/[1][2]

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