distemperature: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowLiterary, Archaic, Medical (historical)
Quick answer
What does “distemperature” mean?
A disordered or disturbed condition of the body or mind.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A disordered or disturbed condition of the body or mind; an unhealthy or unbalanced state.
A disturbance of the natural order, balance, or harmony; a state of disorder, especially in relation to health, climate, or social conditions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant modern regional differences exist due to its extreme rarity. In historical texts, it appears in both British and American writings from relevant periods.
Connotations
Archaic, literary, possibly pretentious if used in contemporary contexts outside of historical reference or deliberate stylistic choice.
Frequency
Effectively zero in contemporary corpora for both varieties. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British contexts due to the preservation of Shakespearean texts in education.
Grammar
How to Use “distemperature” in a Sentence
suffer from + distemperaturecause + distemperature + in + NPa distemperature + of + NP (body, mind, season)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “distemperature” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The play does not use 'distemperature' as a verb.
American English
- The play does not use 'distemperature' as a verb.
adverb
British English
- The concept is not used adverbially.
American English
- The concept is not used adverbially.
adjective
British English
- The humoral theory described a distempered body.
American English
- The humoral theory described a distempered body.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical literary or medical analysis (e.g., 'Shakespeare's use of the concept of distemperature').
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Obsolete in modern medicine. May appear in historical texts on humoral theory.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “distemperature”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “distemperature”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “distemperature”
- Using it as a synonym for 'temperature'.
- Using it in modern, casual contexts where 'illness' or 'imbalance' would be appropriate.
- Misspelling as 'distemperament' or 'distemperance'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare and considered archaic or literary. You will almost never encounter it in modern spoken or written English outside of historical or stylistic contexts.
'Temperature' refers to a degree of heat or cold. 'Distemperature' is an archaic term for a disordered or unbalanced state, originally of the body's 'temper' (mix of humours), not its heat.
Only if you are writing about historical texts (like Shakespeare) or deliberately using an archaic style. In a standard modern academic essay, use 'disorder', 'imbalance', or 'affliction' instead.
Yes, the adjective 'distempered' is slightly better known (meaning disturbed or disordered), and the verb 'distemper' survives mainly in the context of paint (a technique) and a disease in animals.
A disordered or disturbed condition of the body or mind.
Distemperature is usually literary, archaic, medical (historical) in register.
Distemperature: in British English it is pronounced /dɪsˈtɛmp(ə)rətʃə/, and in American English it is pronounced /dɪsˈtɛmp(ə)rətʃər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None in contemporary use. Historical: 'the distemperature of the season' (unseasonable weather).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'DIS-temper-ature': a DISruption of your TEMPER (mood/humour) or temperATURE (bodily heat), leading to an unbalanced state.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY/MIND/STATE IS A BALANCED SYSTEM. Distemperature is the disruption of that balance.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'distemperature' MOST likely to be encountered today?