temperance

noun

tem·per·ance ˈtem-p(ə-)rən(t)s

-pərn(t)s

Synonyms of temperance next

: moderation in action, thought, or feeling : restraint

: habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions

: moderation in or abstinence from the use of alcoholic beverages

Did you know?

Since temperance means basically "moderation", you might assume that, with respect to alcohol, temperance would mean moderate consumption, or "social drinking". Instead, the word has usually meant the prohibition of all alcohol. To temperance leaders such as Carry Nation, the safest form of drinking was no alcohol at all. Believing she was upholding the law, Nation began her hatchet-swinging attacks on saloons, known as "hatchetations", in the 1890s. National prohibition did eventually come—and go—but largely through the efforts of more temperate (that is, moderate) reformers.

Examples of temperance in a Sentence

The minister preached about temperance. my father attributes his ripe old age to temperance in all things, especially eating and drinking

Recent Examples on the Web In the 19th century, the temperance movement touted ice water as an alternative to alcohol — notably not water by itself, which would perhaps have seemed too austere. —

Ligaya Mishan Esther Choi, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2023 The walls of their tasting room, known as the Speakeasy Lab, re-create the legend of the 19th-century short story written by a temperance advocate named George Cheever. —

James Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Apr. 2023 That repeal still casts aspersion on how the temperance movement is remembered today. —

Christopher H. Evans, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2023 Some miles away in Orange County, a temperance colony named Westminster was organized in 1870 by a Presbyterian pastor and named for an earlier English set of church tenets. —

Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023 The temperance movement had enormous popular support, however, and as the authors note, not all regions rushed back to drinking. —

Oliver Staley, Time, 2 Aug. 2023 Utah once had a flourishing wine scene, but state temperance laws and conservative religious beliefs made drinking verboten during the 20th century. —

Rebecca Treon, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2023 Their father had been a minister and was head of the local temperance society. —

Howard Fishman, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2023 Her father was a minister and the head of the local temperance society; her mother was a pianist. —

Jeremy Lybarger, The New Republic, 24 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'temperance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English temperaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French temprance, temperance, borrowed from Latin temperantia "self-control, moderation, restraint," noun derivative from temperant-, temperans, present participle of temperāre "to exercise moderation, restrain oneself" — more at temper entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of temperance was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century