Temperateness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A characteristic of moderation that reflects self-control and balance
2. A condition of emotional stability that mitigates extremes in actions or feelings
3. The quality of showing balanced behavior and avoiding excess ; a state of mental steadiness that prevents extreme emotional reactions

Etymology: "Temperateness" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "temperate" with the suffix "-ness" attached to turn a quality into a noun. The adjective itself came into English from Latin "temperatus," the past participle of "temperare," meaning to mix in due proportion or to moderate. That sense of proper mixing is the root of the modern idea of restraint, since a temperate drink was one diluted to the right strength and a temperate climate one that avoided extremes. The suffix does the real work here. The "-ness" ending descends from Old English "-nes," which turned adjectives into abstract nouns naming a state or quality, and it was attached freely to native and borrowed adjectives alike. Combining it with "temperate" produces a noun for the condition of being measured and even-keeled, which is how the word is used today in the sense of emotional stability.

Synonyms: moderation, temperance, self-control, calmness, restraint

Antonyms: excess, intemperance, wildness, frenzy, chaos