temperance
UK: ˈtɛmp(ə)rəns | US: ˈtɛmpərəns
n. moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, or consumption (e.g., food, alcohol)
n. (archaic) habitual moderation in natural impulses (e.g., anger, desire)
Derived from Latin temperantia (restraint, moderation), temperance entered Middle English via Old French. The root temper- reflects the idea of balancing or mixing elements—later evolving metaphorically to denote emotional or behavioral control. The suffix -ance solidifies it as an abstract noun. Historically linked to virtue ethics, it gained prominence in the 19th-century temperance movement advocating alcohol moderation.
The monk practiced temperance in both speech and diet.
Temperance is a key virtue in many philosophical traditions.
Her temperance kept her from reacting angrily to the provocation.
The movement promoted temperance as a solution to social ills.
Ancient Greeks admired temperance as one of the four cardinal virtues.