temperate

/ˈtɛmpəɹət/

//ˈtɛmpəɹət// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"temperate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“temperate” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,969. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,969
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Moderate; not excessive.

Corpus desk

Index EN-temperate · temperate · English

temperate · rank #18,969 · 13 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #18,969
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH TDS

Nearest frequency peer: TDS (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “temperate”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “temperate” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

temperate vs template
78% similar
temperate vs temperature
82% similar
temperate vs temperance
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for temperate
PropertyValue
Headwordtemperate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈtɛmpəɹət/
Letters9
Frequency rank#18,969
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “temperate”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).temperatelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “TDS” (#18,968), “tata” (#18,967), “thematic” (#18,971). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “temperate” is #18,969. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around temperate (IPA /ˈtɛmpəɹət/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #18,969 among 3,151 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for temperate, with forms such as "etmperate", "temeprate", and "temmperate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "template", "temperature", "temperance", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: The adjective is first attested in 1380, in Middle English, the verb in 1540; borrowed from Latin temperātus, perfect passive participle of temperō (“to moderate, forbear, combine properly”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix… The correct English form is temperate, spelled T-E-M-P-E-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Moderate; not excessive.
  2. 2
    Moderate; not excessive.
  3. 3
    Moderate; not excessive.
  4. 4
    Proceeding from temperance.
  5. 5
    Dependent on life in a temperate climate.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how temperate appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. temperate heat
  2. He has a temperate demeanour

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in 1380, in Middle English, the verb in 1540; borrowed from Latin temperātus, perfect passive participle of temperō (“to moderate, forbear, combine properly”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix). See temper. Displaced native Old English ġemetegod.

Synonyms

abstemiouscalmcollectedcomposedcontinentcooldispassionateinexcitableimperturbableregularsedatesobersteadystaidtemperateundisturbedunexcitableunexcitedunimpassionedunpassionateunperturbedunruffledunstirredunsusceptible

Antonyms

excitablefancifulpassionatetempestuousvolatilewild

This word in other languages

templado(Español)tempéré(Français)gemäßigt(Deutsch)temperado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • etmperate
  • temeprate
  • temmperate
  • tempearte
  • temperaet
  • temperatte
  • temperrate
  • tempertae
  • tempperate
  • tempreate
  • tepmerate
  • tmeperate
  • ttemperate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of temperate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

etmperate2temeprate2temmperate1tempearte2temperaet2temperatte1temperrate1tempertae2
Edit distance from "temperate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "temperate"?
"temperate" is spelled T-E-M-P-E-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛmpəɹət/.
What does "temperate" mean?
As an adjective, "temperate" means: Moderate; not excessive.
What words are commonly confused with "temperate"?
"temperate" is commonly confused with "template", "temperature", "temperance". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "temperate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "temperate" is /ˈtɛmpəɹət/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "temperate"?
The adjective is first attested in 1380, in Middle English, the verb in 1540; borrowed from Latin temperātus, perfect passive participle of temperō (“to moderate, forbear, combine properly”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-form... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "temperate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

threesome#18,972surveying#18,965turquoise#18,977unfolding#18,983

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

untreated13 variantsusefulness13 variantsscarcely13 variantsretrieval13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list