Etymograph

English

tempera

Tempera comes from Italian temperare ‘to temper (metal)’, from Proto-Italic *tempos ‘stretch’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *temp-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*temp-‘to stretch, string’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tempos‘stretch’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtemperōas temperāre‘to divide duly, qualify, temper, moderate’
  4. Italianc. 1300–presenttemperare‘to temper (metal)’
  5. Italian, derivedc. 1300–presenttempera
  6. Englishtodaysame form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*temp-‘to stretch, string’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tempos‘stretch’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtemperōas temperāre‘to divide duly, qualify, temper, moderate’
  4. Italianc. 1300–presenttemperare‘to temper (metal)’
  5. Italian, derivedc. 1300–presenttempera
  6. Englishtodaysame form

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *temp- ‘to stretch, string’

antenna, contemplate, temporal, contemplation, templar, contemporaneous, 25 more

through Proto-Italic *tempos ‘stretch’

contemporary, temple, temporary, tense, template, tempo, matin, tempura, 20 more

through Latin temperō ‘to divide duly, qualify, temper, moderate’

tamper, 8 more

Today it means

noun A paint in which the pigments are suspended in a water-soluble emulsion, such as of egg yolk or gelatine, which hardens and becomes insoluble on exposure to air.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *temp- / tempera

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