Where does “temper” come from?
Temper comes from Middle English temperen, from Old English ġetemprian, from Latin tempero meaning "to mix in due proportion," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European temp- meaning "to stretch or extend."
temper (English): A tendency to be in a certain type of mood; a...
Definitions
- A tendency to be in a certain type of mood; a...
Ancestry of “temper”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | temperen | — |
| 2 | Old English | ġetemprian | to temper, moderate, govern, cure |
| 3 | Latin | temperō | to divide duly, qualify, temper, moderate |
| 4 | Latin | tempus | time, period, age; season; kairos, right time,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | tempos | stretch |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | temp- | to extend, stretch, span; to stetch, string; to... |