Meanings
comparative more intemerate · superlative most intemerate · alternative obsolete rare intemerated
- rarePure, undefiled, chaste.
You mean to make her your wife ; and the wife of Carberry Ratcliff must be intemerate!
1864, Epes Sargent, Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition3 more examples
The states of the kingdom are bound, with faithful concern, to leave intemerate all the royal prerogatives, after the dictates of the Swedish law, so that they shall be kept in their full vigor and strength ...
1792, William Coxe, Travels Into Poland, Russia, Sweden and DenmarkThe flagrant corruption and prostitution of all that is sacred at Rome, had never spread its taint into his upright, intemerate soul.
1846, William Harrison Ainsworth, Ainsworth's MagazineAnd hitherto their flesh had been intemerate and inviolable; the strictest orders had been issued that none should dare to slap them, and all were only too prone to coax and pet the beautiful angels.
1865, David Masson, George Grove & John Morley, Macmillan's Magazine
Origin
- Latinintemerātus
- Englishintemerate
First attested in 1492, in Middle English; borrowed from Latin intemerātus, from in- (“not”) + temerātus, perfect passive participle of temerō (“to violate”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from temerē (“by chance, casually, rashly”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
intemerate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intemerate
“intemerate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intemerate. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “intemerate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intemerate.
Source: intemerate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.