Etymologically
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temperatus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [tɛm.pɛˈraː.tʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [tem.peˈraː.tus][1]

Forms

temperātus (feminine temperāta, neuter temperātum, comparative temperātior, superlative temperātissimus); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is the past participle of temperō (“to moderate, mix in due proportion”), used as an adjective.[2][1] De Vaan derives temperō from Proto-Italic *tempes-āi̯e-, a verb built on tempus (“time”), which he traces to Proto-Italic *tempos- (“stretch, measure”) and Proto-Indo-European *temp-os (“stretch”).[3] The meaning "to restrain, modify" shows the shift from stretching to measuring.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero, who praises a most careful general and a most restrained legate.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

It is used first of weather and climate, temperate or mild: Varro writes of the mildest season of the year.[2] Vitruvius applies it to stone quarries of middle quality, and Nigidius to what is neither early nor late but in between.[2] Of people and conduct it is moderate, restrained, self-controlled.[2] The comparative ⟨temperātior⟩ and superlative ⟨temperātissimus⟩ are found.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 100–45 BC – Nigidius of what lies in between.[2][4]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro of the mildest season.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a restrained legate.[2][4]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius of quarries of middle quality.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of climate or weather, temperate, mild; of other qualities, moderate, between extremes.[2][1]
  2. Intermediate in nature or degree.[2]
  3. Of persons and conduct, moderate, restrained, self-controlled.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de