temperament

/ˈtemprəmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtemprəmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtem-p(ə-)rə-mənt -pər-mənt/ (ame, mw)

temperament — noun

  • temperamentsingular
  • temperamentsplural

1. The basic part of a person's or animal's personality that controls how they feel

1.名詞B2
釋義

The basic part of a person's or animal's personality that controls how they feel and behave in different situations — for example, whether someone is naturally calm, cheerful, nervous, or stubborn.

例句

Mei-Lin has a calm temperament and rarely gets angry even in difficult situations.

temperament + adjective describing personal nature

The trainer studied each horse's temperament before deciding how to handle it.

temperament of [animal]

同義詞
  • disposition

    Very similar but slightly more about surface-level mood; 'a sunny disposition' sounds more natural than 'a sunny temperament'.

  • nature

    Broader term covering both inborn and learned traits; 'by nature' is a common phrase that 'by temperament' is not.

  • personality

    Focuses on social traits and how others perceive you; 'personality test' is common, 'temperament test' is rare.

文法句型

have + [adjective] + temperament

temperament of + [noun]

用法筆記

Frequently used with an adjective that describes the type of nature (calm, cheerful, nervous, stubborn, anxious). Unlike temper, which specifically refers to anger, temperament covers the whole range of emotional reactions.

常見錯誤

❌My boss has a bad temperament' (ambiguous — could mean angry or generally difficult).
✅My boss has an anxious temperament.
💡Use a specific adjective rather than just 'bad' to make the meaning clear.
❌She has a hot temper' (if you mean her general nature).
✅She has an excitable temperament.
💡'Temper' is about anger; 'temperament' is about overall emotional nature.

2. A system for adjusting the pitch of notes on a musical instrument such as a pian

2.名詞C1
釋義

A system for adjusting the pitch of notes on a musical instrument such as a piano or harpsichord so that the instrument sounds correct when played in different musical keys.

例句

Equal temperament divides each octave into twelve equal steps for tuning a piano.

equal temperament (most common form)

Haruki learned about historical temperament systems while studying Baroque music at university.

同義詞
  • tuning system

    A broader, less technical term that covers any method of assigning pitches.

文法句型

[type of] + temperament

用法筆記

By far the most common use of this sense is in the phrase 'equal temperament', which is the standard tuning system used on modern pianos and electronic keyboards. Other systems such as 'meantone temperament' and 'well temperament' are mostly encountered in historical or specialist music contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I need to check the temperament of my guitar.
✅I need to check the tuning of my guitar.
💡Non-keyboard instruments are usually 'tuned', not described with 'temperament'.
❌The equal temperament is a tuning.
✅Equal temperament is a tuning system.
💡When using the compound as a term, no article is needed.

3. A tendency to become angry, emotional, or excited far too quickly, often in a wa

3.名詞C1
釋義

A tendency to become angry, emotional, or excited far too quickly, often in a way that causes problems for other people — for example, an actor who shouts at the crew over small mistakes.

例句

The lead actor's temperament made the cast and crew nervous during rehearsals.

possessor's temperament causing problems for others

Nadia had a temperamental outburst whenever someone criticized her work in front of others.

temperamental outburst (natural collocation in sense 3)

同義詞
  • moodiness

    Focuses on frequent changes of mood; less intense than this sense of temperament.

  • volatility

    More formal, suggests emotional changes that are quick and hard to predict.

反義詞
  • calmness

    The state of being relaxed and not easily upset.

  • evenness

    A steady, balanced emotional response without sudden highs or lows.

文法句型

[possessor]'s temperament

show temperament

have (a) temperament

用法筆記

This sense always carries a negative judgement — it describes behaviour that others find difficult to cope with. Distinguish from sense 1 (NATURE & CHARACTER), which is a neutral description of someone's personality. Compare: 'She has an artistic temperament' (sense 3 — implies she is moody and hard to work with) vs 'She has a calm temperament' (sense 1 — a neutral observation).

常見錯誤

❌My cat has a lot of temperament.
✅My cat has a nervous temperament.
💡In sense 3, 'temperament' alone sounds odd without context; use an adjective or a full description.
❌She showed her temperament when she got the promotion.
✅She showed her temperament when her computer crashed right before the meeting.
💡This sense is only used for negative, irritable reactions, not for positive excitement.