Main Entry: tem·per·ate

Pronunciation: \ˈtem-p(ə-)rət\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English temperat, from Latin temperatus, from past participle of temperare

Date: 14th century

1 : marked by moderation: as a : keeping or held within limits : not extreme or excessive : mild b : moderate in indulgence of appetite or desire c : moderate in the use of alcoholic beverages d : marked by an absence or avoidance of extravagance, violence, or extreme partisanship
2 a : having a moderate climate which especially lacks extremes in temperature b : found in or associated with a moderate climate <temperate insects>
3 : existing as a prophage in infected cells and rarely causing lysis <temperate bacteriophages>

— tem·per·ate·ly adverb

— tem·per·ate·ness noun