Meanings
comparative more intemperate · superlative most intemperate
- Lacking moderation, temper or control.
intemperate zeal
2 more examples
intemperate language
Constantine engaged himself, by a solemn promise, to deliver Italy from the Goths; advanced as far as the banks of the Po; and after alarming, rather than assisting, his pusillanimous ally, hastily returned to the palace of Arles, to celebrate, with intemperate luxury, his vain and ostentatious triumph.
1781, Edward Gibbon, chapter XXXI, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume III, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLCSynonyms: immoderate, unrestrained, devilish, excessive, horrendous, de trop, extravagant, extreme
- Indulging any appetite or passion to excess, especially the drinking of alcohol.
Synonyms: self-indulgent, voluptuary, Babylonian, decadent, epicureal, epicurean, epicureous, epicurish
present singular third person intemperates · participle present intemperating · participle past intemperated · past intemperated
- obsoletetransitiveTo put into disorder.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveLacking moderation, temper or control.
adjectiveIndulging any appetite or passion to excess, especially the drinking of alcohol.
More synonyms by meaning
adjective(of weather or climate) not mild; subject to extremes
adjectivegiven to excessive indulgence of bodily appetites especially for intoxicating liquors
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Italic*n̥-
- Latinin-
- Middle Englishin-
- Englishin-
- Englishtemperate
- Englishintemperate
Translations
Ancient Greek ἀκρατής
- ἀκρατής (akratḗs)lacking moderation, temper or control
Bulgarian неумерен, невъздържан
- неумерен (neumeren)lacking moderation, temper or control
- невъздържан (nevăzdăržan)lacking moderation, temper or control
Hungarian féktelen, mértéktelen
- féktelenlacking moderation, temper or control
- mértéktelenlacking moderation, temper or control
- zabolátlanlacking moderation, temper or control
- gátlástalanlacking moderation, temper or control
- részegesindulging any appetite or passion to excess, especially the drinking of alcohol
- iszákosindulging any appetite or passion to excess, especially the drinking of alcohol
Latin intemperans
- intemperanslacking moderation, temper or control
Polish przesadny, niepowściągliwy
- przesadnylacking moderation, temper or control
- niepowściągliwylacking moderation, temper or control
- nieopanowanylacking moderation, temper or control
- gwałtownylacking moderation, temper or control
- nieumiarkowanyindulging any appetite or passion to excess, especially the drinking of alcohol
Portuguese imoderado, imoderado
- imoderadolacking moderation, temper or control
- imoderadoindulging any appetite or passion to excess, especially the drinking of alcohol
Russian невоздержанный
- невоздержанный (nevozderžannyj)lacking moderation, temper or control
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
intemperate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intemperate
“intemperate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intemperate. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “intemperate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intemperate.
Source: intemperate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.