temperance

temperance · noun, adjective¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*temp-der.?
2. Proto-Indo-European*temh₁-der.?
3. Proto-Italic*tempos
4. Latintemperō
5. Latintemperans
6. Latintemperantia
7. Anglo-Normantemperaunce
8. Middle Englishtemperaunce
9. English todaytemperance

The noun is derived from Middle English temperaunce (“forbearance, restraint; moderation, temperateness; gentleness, modesty; action of achieving a compromise between two extremes; etc.”), from Anglo-Norman temperaunce, from Latin temperantia (“moderation, self-control, sobriety, temperance”), from temperantem + -ia (suffix forming abstract nouns). Temperantem is the accusative singular form of temperāns (“restrained, self-controlled”), the present participle of temperō (“to moderate, temper; to be moderate or temperate; to govern, manage; etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- (“to cut”) or *temp-, *ten- (“to extend, stretch”). By surface analysis, temper (verb) + -ance (suffix forming nouns indicating conditions or states). As regards noun sense 1.2 (“moderation in regard to the indulgence of natural appetites and passions”), in Biblical texts the word is generally used to translate Ancient Greek ἐγκρᾰ́τειᾰ (enkrắteiă, “mastery; self-control”). The adjective is derived from the noun.

Temperance · proper noun²

From temperance. A virtue name first used by Puritans in the 16th century.

Words from the same roots