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temperature

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noun American English pronunciation: temperature /ˈtemp(ə)rəˌtʃʊr/ 
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singulartemperature
pluraltemperatures
Other entries for this word
  1. 1
    [countable/uncountable] science a measurement of how hot or how cold a place or object is. Temperature is measured in degrees Fahrenheit or centigrade, which is also called Celsius, using the symbol °

    It's stopped snowing here and the temperature is about 25°.

    temperature of:

    The seeds need a minimum temperature of about 65°F to germinate.

    air/water/ground temperature:

    Evening air temperature averages about 50°F.

    temperatures in the 20s/30s/40s etc.:

    unseasonably low temperatures in the 40s

    the temperature rises:

    The temperature rose steadily throughout the day.

    the temperature drops:

    Temperatures dropped below freezing last night.

    at a temperature:

    Make sure that you bake it at the correct temperature.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of temperature
  2. 2
    [countable/uncountable] the measurement of how hot your body is

    What's his temperature?

    I went to bed with a temperature of 103°F.

    take someone's temperature (=measure it):

    She took his temperature and sent him to bed.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of temperature
  3. 3
    [countable] [usually singular] the amount of excitement that people feel in a particular situation

    The temperature of the meeting steadily rose.

    In the early days of independence the government was anxious to lower the political temperature.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of temperature

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This is the American English definition of temperature. View British English definition of temperature.

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