Etymologically
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temperies

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Forms

temperiēs f (genitive temperiēī); fifth declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin temperō (“to mix in due proportion, moderate”) + -iēs.[2][1][3] De Vaan derives temperō from the s-stem of tempus (“time”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *tempos- (“stretch, measure”) and Proto-Indo-European *temp-os (“stretch”); the verb shows the shift from “stretching” to “measuring”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Horace,[5] who uses it of a mild climate.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

It is poetic and post-Augustan, where earlier prose has temperātiō.[7] Ovid uses it of the due blend of heat and moisture, and of the mild warmth of water;[2][8] Pliny the Elder of the proportion of metals in bronze.[2][6] Above all it is the blend of weather, the climate, and especially a mild climate, in Curtius, Seneca, Pliny and Tacitus;[2][6] Statius uses it of a calm temper and of moderation in using wealth.[2] Martianus Capella has it of mild spring weather.[8] Medieval writers in Britain also use it for a mean or average.[9] Italian took it over as temperie.[1]

Timeline

  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of a mild climate.[2][5]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of the blend of heat and moisture.[2][7][5]
  • 1st century AD – Curtius uses caelī temperiēs of a healthy climate.[2][5]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the alloy of bronze.[2][6][5]
  • c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it of moderation in conduct.[2][5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A due mixture of substances or qualities; a blend, alloy.[2][8][6]
  2. Climate, weather; a mild climate, temperateness.[2][8][6]
  3. A moderate temperature.[2][10]
  4. Moderation of conduct; temper.[2][3]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A mean, an average.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e f Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  9. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  10. ^ Simpson, D. P. (1959), Cassell's New Latin Dictionary, London: Cassell