temper

The story

1. Latin · derived fromtemperō“(transitive) to divide or proportion duly, to moderate, to regulate; (intransitive) to be moderate, temperate”
2. Old English · inherited fromġetemprian
3. Middle English · inherited fromtemperen
4. English todaytemper

From Middle English temperen, tempren, from Old English ġetemprian, temprian, borrowed from Latin temperō (“(transitive) to divide or proportion duly, to moderate, to regulate; (intransitive) to be moderate, temperate”), from tempus (“time, fit season”). Compare also French tempérer. Doublet of tamper. See temporal.

Words from the same roots