temperance
tem·per·ance/ˈtɛmpəɹəns/noun
temperance is spelled T-E-M-P-E-R-A-N-C-E: 10 letters and 3 syllables (tem·per·ance). It appears 1.4 times per million words in written English, the 23,835th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data, counting Temperance, the name). As a noun, temperance means “Habitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions; restrained or moderate indulgence” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of temperance is temperances.
How many letters and syllables are in temperance?
| Letters | 10: T-E-M-P-E-R-A-N-C-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: tem·per·ance |
| In writing | 1.4 times per million words; the 23,835th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is temperance?
Temperance appears 1.4 times per million words in written English, the 23,835th most frequent word form in the list. The list counts every capitalisation together, so this includes Temperance, the name.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce temperance?
- /ˈtɛmpəɹəns/
Temperance has 3 syllables, split tem·per·ance in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Naomi_Persephone_Amethyst_(NaomiAmethyst)-temperance.wav, En-us-temperance.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of temperance
- temperances plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does temperance mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Habitual moderation in regard to the indulgence of the natural appetites and passions; restrained or moderate indulgence.
temperance in eating and drinking
- 2
Moderation, and sometimes abstinence, in respect to using intoxicating liquors.
- 3
Moderation of passion; calmness.
- 4
obsoleteState with regard to heat or cold; temperature.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Temperance in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | sobriété , tempérance |
| German | Mäßigung , Enthaltsamkeit, Mäßigkeit im Alkoholgenuss, Temperenz , Mäßigkeit |
| Spanish | templanza, temperancia |
| Portuguese | temperança |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does temperance come from?
From Anglo-Norman temperance, from Latin temperantia (“moderation, sobriety, discretion, self-control”), from temperans, present participle of temperare (“to moderate”). See temper. English equivalent temper + -ance.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).