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Definition of temperature noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

temperature

noun
 
 
/ˈtemprətʃə(r)/
 
/ˈtemprətʃər/,
 
/ˈtemprətʃʊr/
[countable, uncountable]
(abbreviation temp)
Idioms
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  1.  
     the measurement in degrees of how hot or cold a thing or place is
    • high/low temperatures
    • cold/warm temperatures
    • a drop/rise in temperature
    • The temperature has risen (by) five degrees.
    • Some places have had temperatures in the 40s (= over 40° centigrade).
    • at a temperature Chemical reactions take place more slowly at low temperatures.
    • the water/air/surface temperature
    • Heat the oven to a temperature of 200°C (= degrees centigrade).
    • The climate is generally mild, and freezing temperatures are almost unknown.
    see also absolute temperature, room temperature
    Extra Examples
    • Overnight the temperature fell as low as -30°C.
    • Temperatures below freezing are common here.
    • The fish prefer a temperature of 24–27°C.
    • The desert is a place of temperature extremes.
    • The increase in the mean global temperature will be about 0.3°C per decade.
    • These instruments can withstand temperatures of 180°C.
    • This plant grows well in temperatures above 55°F.
    • Water temperatures ranged from 12 to 15°C.
    • Yesterday the town reached its highest ever February temperature.
    • the boiling temperature of the solvent
    • the surface temperature of our planet
    Topics Weathera2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • high
    • hot
    • warm
    • …
    verb + temperature
    • have
    • heat something to
    • increase
    • …
    temperature + verb
    • go up
    • increase
    • rise
    • …
    temperature + noun
    • conditions
    • change
    • difference
    • …
    preposition
    • at… temperature
    • in a temperature
    • temperature above
    • …
    phrases
    • a change in temperature
    • a variation in temperature
    • a range of temperature
    • …
    See full entry
  2.  
     the measurement of how hot somebody’s body is
    • to take somebody’s temperature (= measure the temperature of somebody’s body using a special instrument)
    • (British English) Does he have a temperature (= is it higher than normal, because of illness)?
    • He's in bed with a temperature of 40°.
    • When your body temperature rises, your body tries to compensate.
    • She's running a temperature (= it is higher than normal).
    • They used ice packs to bring down her temperature.
    In North American English you can take somebody’s temperature but in the other examples the word fever is used. compare feverTopics Health problemsa2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • high
    • slight
    verb + temperature
    • have
    • run
    • take
    • …
    temperature + verb
    • go up
    • rise
    • come down
    • …
    preposition
    • temperature of
    See full entry
    3. Word Originlate Middle English: from French température or Latin temperatura, from temperare ‘restrain’. The word originally denoted the state of being tempered or mixed, later becoming synonymous with temperament. The modern sense dates from the late 17th cent.
Idioms
raise/lower the temperature
  1. to increase/decrease the amount of excitement, emotion, etc. in a situation
    • His angry refusal to agree raised the temperature of the meeting.
    • The government tried to lower the political temperature by agreeing to some of the demands.
See temperature in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee temperature in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: temperature

Nearby words

elaborate
adjective
 
 
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