Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “intemperance” come from?

Intemperance comes from Middle French intempérance, from Latin intemperantia, combining Latin temperantia with the Latin negating prefix in-, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European -h₂.

intemperance (English): Lack of moderation or temperance; excess;...

Definitions

  1. Lack of moderation or temperance; excess;...

Ancestry of “intemperance”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchintempérance—
2Latinintemperantiaintemperateness, inclemency; immoderation,...
3Latin-iaUsed to form a feminine abstract noun, usually...
4Latin-iusforming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter...
5Proto-Italic-jōsForms comparative adjectives
6Proto-Indo-European-yósCreates adjectives from noun or verb stems
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yós →