temperate

adjective

tem·per·ate | \ ˈtem-p(ə-)rət

Definition of temperate

1a : having a moderate climate which especially lacks extremes in temperature

b : found in or associated with a moderate climate temperate insects

2 : marked by moderation: such 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

3 : existing as a prophage in infected cells and rarely causing lysis temperate bacteriophages

Other Words from temperate Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about temperate

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Synonyms & Antonyms for temperate

Synonyms

moderate

Antonyms

immoderate, intemperate

Examples of temperate in a Sentence

They had a temperate discussion. He is a temperate man.

Recent Examples on the Web

Unique in the world for its distance from the sea, the temperate inland rain forest 300 miles from the Pacific that is home to the mountain caribou is under siege. — Lynda V. Mapes, The Seattle Times, "David Moskowitz captures the beauty — and fragility — of the Northwest’s mountain caribou," 11 Feb. 2019 Astrobiologists think the other two stars are more likely to host temperate, Earth-like planets. — Daniel Clery, Science | AAAS, "What is Alpha Centauri hiding? Searches for Earth-like planets ramp up around our nearest stellar neighbor," 11 Apr. 2018 While their way of thinking was nothing if not temperate, the Connecticut Federalists promoted their views vigorously. — Keith Stavely And Kathleen Fitzgerald, Smithsonian, "What America’s First Cookbook Says About Our Country and Its Cuisine," 12 Jan. 2018 Higher latitudes and warmer overall global temperatures meant that our frozen continent was a temperate forest many, many yesterdays ago. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "Found in the Cold Mountains of Antarctica: A Warm Weather Lizard Fossil," 31 Jan. 2019 Some of the more temperate parts of the US like the California coast will see sharper swings in their weather. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "Watch how the climate could change in these US cities by 2050," 30 Nov. 2018 But Venus was a temperate world long ago, with seas that persisted for eons — perhaps 2 billion years or more, according to recent modeling research. — Mike Wall, Space.com, "Life on Venus? Why It's Not an Absurd Thought," 16 Apr. 2018 But no choir in the world could make Mr. Smith any warmer than temperate, any cooler than lukewarm. — Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica, Joe Coscarelli And Caryn Ganz, New York Times, "The Best and Worst of the Grammys," 29 Jan. 2018 Herbs are the leaves, stems, and flowers of those plants found in temperate climates, and are generally soft (like basil) or slightly woody (like rosemary). — Francine Maroukian, Popular Mechanics, "How Herbs and Spices Can Make You Cook Like a Pro," 13 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'temperate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.