Word of the Day:

January 24, 2022

intemperate

adjective in-TEM-puh-rut

What it Means

Intemperate means "having extreme conditions" or "having or showing a lack of emotional calmness or control."

// The plant is able to survive in intemperate climates.

// The journalist apologized for her intemperate rant against the mayor.

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Intemperate in Context

"It is probably useful … for us to let our ideas flow with intemperate fervor on topics about which we care passionately." — Jim Slusher, The Chicago Daily Herald, 2 Sept. 2021

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Did You Know?

Intemperate means "not well tempered"—in other words, not well mixed or balanced. The word comes from Latin intemperatus, a combination of in- and the verb temperare, meaning "to temper" or "to mix."

Quiz

Fill in the blanks to complete a word for a long speech marked by intemperate language: t _ _ _ d _.

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