temperature

noun

Save Word

tem·per·a·ture | \ ˈtem-pər-ˌchu̇r

, ˈtem-pə-, -p(ə-)rə-, -chər, -ˌtyu̇r, -ˌtu̇r

Definition of temperature

1a : degree of hotness or coldness measured on a definite scale

b : the degree of heat that is natural to the body of a living being

c : abnormally high body heat running a temperature

2a : relative state of emotional warmth scandals raised the political temperature

b : mood testing the temperature of voters

3 archaic

a : complexion sense 1

b : temperament sense 1a

Examples of temperature in a Sentence

Water boils at a temperature of 212°F. The samples are kept at a constant temperature. The weatherman predicted unusually low temperatures for the area. the normal body temperature of 98.6°F

Recent Examples on the Web Keeping batteries indoors, at room temperature, and partially charged when not in use, can help with longevity. — Nicole Nguyen, WSJ, "There Are Lots of Different E-Bikes. Here’s Your Guide to Picking the Right One.," 25 Apr. 2021 Defrost and rewarm on the stove top or microwave, or serve at room temperature. — Washington Post, "A buttery braise sweetens radishes and melts their greens," 22 Apr. 2021 With jammy eggs, there is no reason to wait for the eggs to come to room temperature before cooking. — Beth Dooley Special To The Star Tribune, Star Tribune, "Jammy eggs are an ideal mealtime solution," 21 Apr. 2021 Cut the pie into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. — BostonGlobe.com, "Recipe: Hortopita, a Greek pie of greens and feta in phyllo dough, is a country cousin to familiar spanakopita," 20 Apr. 2021 Some vegetables keep for a long time stored in a jar of water at room temperature. — Anne-marie Bonneau, Los Angeles Times, "Most food waste in the U.S. occurs at the consumer level. You can do something about it," 15 Apr. 2021 This snack made from pork, shrimp, herbs, rice vermicelli and other ingredients wrapped in rice paper is served at room temperature. — CNN, "The world's 50 best foods," 13 Apr. 2021 But even inside a spacecraft or a space station—cozy, pressurized, temperature-controlled, with food supplies, comfortable sleep pods, and a zero-g privy to take care of unavoidable essentials—the body doesn’t care for space. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, "Space Can Take a Nasty Toll On An Astronaut's Heart, Study Finds," 2 Apr. 2021 The Biebers have spent much of the pandemic living in their $5 million lakeside mansion in Ontario, which boasts four bedrooms, six bathrooms, and—get ready for this—a two-story wine room that’s temperature-controlled. — Mary Elizabeth Andriotis, House Beautiful, "Every Single Property That Justin and Hailey Bieber Have Called Home," 2 Apr. 2021

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

History and Etymology for temperature

borrowed from Latin temperātūra "mixture of substances in proper proportion, adjustment between extremes, mean," from temperātus, past participle of temperāre "to moderate, bring to a proper strength or consistency by mixing, maintain in a state of balance" + -ūra -ure — more at temper entry 2

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