temperature

/ˈtɛmp(ə)ɹət͡ʃə(ɹ)/

//ˈtɛmp(ə)ɹət͡ʃə(ɹ)// noun

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

"temperature" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“temperature” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,319 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,319
frequency rank, English
11
letters
16
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A measure of cold or heat, often measurable with a thermometer.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

temperature vs temperate
82% similar

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

Key facts for temperature
PropertyValue
Headwordtemperature
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɛmp(ə)ɹət͡ʃə(ɹ)/
Letters11
Frequency rank#2,319
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “temperature” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). temperature lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for temperature is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɛmp(ə)ɹət͡ʃə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,319 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for temperature, with forms such as "etmperature", "temeprature", and "temmperature". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "temperate", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin temperātūra (cf. also French température), from the past participle stem of tempero (“to temper”). The correct English form is temperature, spelled T-E-M-P-E-R-A-T-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A measure of cold or heat, often measurable with a thermometer.
  2. 2
    An elevated body temperature, as present in many illnesses; fever.
  3. 3
    A property of macroscopic amounts of matter that serves to gauge the average intensity of the random actual motions of the individually mobile particulate constituents.
  4. 4
    A parameter that controls the degree of randomness of the output.
  5. 5
    The general mood.
  6. 6
    The state or condition of being tempered or moderated.
  7. 7
    The balance of humours in the body, or one's character or outlook as considered determined from this; temperament.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin temperātūra (cf. also French température), from the past participle stem of tempero (“to temper”).

Synonyms

temperature

This word in other languages

temperatura(Español)température(Français)Temperatur(Deutsch)temperatura(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: etmperature,temeprature,temmperature,tempearture,temperatrue,temperatture,temperatuer,temperaturre,temperautre,temperrature,tempertaure,tempperature,tempreature,tepmerature,tmeperature,ttemperature

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

etmperature2temeprature2temmperature1tempearture2temperatrue2temperatture1temperatuer2temperaturre1
Edit distance from "temperature"

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 "temperature"?
"temperature" is spelled T-E-M-P-E-R-A-T-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛmp(ə)ɹət͡ʃə(ɹ)/.
What does "temperature" mean?
As a noun, "temperature" means: A measure of cold or heat, often measurable with a thermometer.
What words are commonly confused with "temperature"?
"temperature" is commonly confused with "temperate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "temperature"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "temperature" is /ˈtɛmp(ə)ɹət͡ʃə(ɹ)/. 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 "temperature"?
Borrowed from Latin temperātūra (cf. also French température), from the past participle stem of tempero (“to temper”). 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.

Using “temperature”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-E-M-P-E-R-A-T-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɛmp(ə)ɹət͡ʃə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “temperate” - see the side-by-side comparison. temperature vs temperate
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list