temperaments
temperaments — noun
- temperamentssingular
- temperamentsesplural
1. the mix of qualities that shapes how a person feels and responds to situations —
the mix of qualities that shapes how a person feels and responds to situations — whether they are calm or excitable, cheerful or gloomy, and so on
Diya has a cheerful temperament and rarely lets small problems ruin her day.
collocation: cheerful temperament
Ryo's calm temperament made him a trusted leader during the crisis at the hospital.
possessive + noun phrase: Ryo's calm temperament
The puppy's playful temperament won over everyone who visited the shelter that afternoon.
Nikos inherited his father's fiery temperament and would argue for hours over politics.
A steady temperament is essential for anyone who works with young children all day.
- disposition
more formal; often describes surface-level demeanour
- nature
broader; covers all inborn qualities, not just emotional ones
- character
includes moral and ethical qualities shaped by experience
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'personality': temperament refers specifically to the emotional and mood-related aspects of character, while personality is broader and includes social behaviour, values, and beliefs.
常見錯誤
2. a method of tuning in which the pitch gaps between notes on a keyboard are adjus
a method of tuning in which the pitch gaps between notes on a keyboard are adjusted so every musical key sounds pleasant rather than harshly discordant
Ziad discovered that equal temperament lets pianists play in any key without retuning.
equal temperament (the modern standard tuning system)
Trang chose a meantone temperament to make Bach's chorales sound warmer on the church organ.
meantone temperament (a historical tuning system)
Without equal temperament, a piano tuned for C major would clash badly in B major.
Jack read that Bach wrote the 'Well-Tempered Clavier' to promote a new keyboard tuning.
Early musicians often disliked equal temperament, saying it made every key sound too similar.
- tuning system
less technical; refers to any method of setting pitches
用法筆記
This is a technical musical term. In everyday language, only sense 1 is used. This sense appears mainly in discussions of keyboard instruments and Western music history.