TEMPERATE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does temperate mean? 

• TEMPERATE (adjective)
  The adjective TEMPERATE has 3 senses:

1. (of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

2. not extreme in behavior

3. not extreme

  Familiarity information: TEMPERATE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TEMPERATE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

Context example:

temperate plants

Similar:

cold-temperate (the colder parts of temperate waters)

equable (not varying)

Also:

clement ((of weather or climate) physically mild)

Antonym:

intemperate ((of weather or climate) not mild; subject to extremes)

Derivation:

temperateness (moderate weather; suitable for outdoor activities)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not extreme in behavior

Context example:

temperate in his eating and drinking

Similar:

abstemious; light (marked by temperance in indulgence)

moderate; restrained (marked by avoidance of extravagance or extremes)

Also:

mild (moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme)

moderate (being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme)

Antonym:

intemperate (excessive in behavior)

Derivation:

temperateness (exhibiting restraint imposed on the self)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Not extreme

Synonyms:

moderate; temperate

Context example:

temperate in his response to criticism

Similar:

mild (moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme)

 Context examples 

A temperate Earth-sized planet has been discovered only 11 light-years from the Solar System by a team using ESO’s unique planet-hunting HARPS instrument.

(Closest Temperate World Orbiting Quiet Star Discovered, ESO)

It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b, discovered in 2016 and the closest planet to the Solar System.

(ALMA Discovers Cold Dust Around Nearest Star, ESO)

This makes it the most temperate world in the system — and as such, a rarity among known transiting planets.

(NASA’s TESS Mission Scores ‘Hat Trick’ With 3 New Worlds, NASA)

Gentle or temperate in nature or degree.

(Mild, NCI Thesaurus)

An unassigned species of temperate bacteriophage in the family MYOVIRIDAE which infects E. coli.

(Bacteriophage P1, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Coral reefs are retreating from equatorial waters and establishing new reefs in more temperate regions.

(Coral reefs shifting away from equatorial waters, National Science Foundation)

Per unit area, seagrass meadows can store up to twice as much carbon as the world's temperate and tropical forests.

(Sharks, the seagrass protectors, National Science Foundation)

He has never learned to be economical or temperate.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Wolf cautions, however, that greater forest edge sensitivity at lower latitudes doesn't mean there isn't also edge sensitivity in temperate zones.

(Forest fragmentation hits wildlife hardest in the tropics, National Science Foundation)

“Do you suppose,” said I, constraining myself to be very temperate and quiet with him, on account of Agnes, “that I regard Miss Wickfield otherwise than as a very dear sister?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)