Temperance
/ˈtɛm.pə.rəns/noun
Moderation or self-restraint, especially in eating, drinking, or behavior.
Did you know?Temperance comes from Latin *temperantia*, from *temperare* meaning “to mix in due proportion” or “to restrain,” so the idea of moral self-control was originally tied to the art of getting the balance right.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tem-
“to cut, divide; to mark out”
Latin
Latin
temperare
“to mix properly, moderate, restrain, control”
Latin
Latin
temperantia
“moderation, self-control”
Old French
Old French
temperance
“moderation, self-restraint”
Middle English
English
temperaunce
“moderation in conduct, especially in drink”
Modern English
English
temperance
“moderation or self-restraint”