What this suffix does
-tempered describes someone's emotional character: even-tempered (calm, level-headed), hot-tempered / short-tempered.
ESEN
Suffix · forms adjectives
-tempered
Describes someone's emotional character: even-tempered (calm, steady) versus hot-tempered (quick to anger).
In Spanish: de temperamento / de carácterIntermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
How it is formed
Adjective + tempered.
- even + temperedeven-tempered (calm, steady)
- hot + temperedhot-tempered (quick to anger)
- bad + temperedbad-tempered (irritable)
This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.
How it is pronounced
-tempered
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -tempered
In a phrase
- eveneven-temperedHe's even-tempered, nothing seems to rattle him.
- hothot-temperedHer hot-tempered brother slammed the door and left.
- badbad-temperedThe bad-tempered cat scratched anyone who got close.
- shortshort-temperedHe gets short-tempered when he's hungry.
- illill-temperedThe ill-tempered customer complained about everything.
Common mistakes
confusing bad-tempered, ill-tempered, and short-tempered
they overlap but have nuances
"Bad-tempered" and "ill-tempered" both describe a generally irritable disposition, though "ill-tempered" is slightly more formal. "Short-tempered" specifically implies that the person loses their temper quickly and easily, with little provocation — the emphasis is on how quickly the anger arrives, not just its existence.
good-tempered vs even-tempered (same thing)
there is a subtle difference
"Good-tempered" = generally cheerful and easy to please. "Even-tempered" = consistently calm and not easily upset by anything. "Even-tempered" specifically implies emotional stability and resistance to provocation. "Good-tempered" implies positive mood; "even-tempered" implies emotional consistency regardless of mood.
A trick to remember it
"Tempered" = tempered, like steel heat-treated to become strong and stable. even-TEMPERED = evenly tempered, no spikes (calm). hot-TEMPERED = heats up fast and stays hot (short fuse).
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"She was short-tempered when she was tired." What does "short-tempered" suggest?
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -tempered mean in English?
The suffix -tempered describes someone's emotional character: even-tempered (calm, steady) versus hot-tempered (quick to anger). In Spanish it usually maps to de temperamento / de carácter.
Can you give an example of a word with -tempered?
"even" becomes "even-tempered". It is a typical example of the -tempered suffix.
Other useful suffixes
-headed
having a specified type of mental clarity, character, or state of mind
-hearted
Describes someone's emotional character: warmhearted (kind, affectionate) and coldhearted (unfeeling, unkind).
-minded
Describes someone's way of thinking: open-minded (accepting of new ideas) versus narrow-minded (closed off, intolerant).
Learn every English suffix
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