The general consistency with which a horse behaves.

In modern usage, a characteristic level of reactivity and energy, often thought to be constitutional.

a person's characteristic emotional state, first apparent in early infancy and possibly inborn. (466)

(tem'per-a-ment) [L. temperamentum, mixture]. The combination of intellectual, emotional, ethical, and physical characteristics of a specific individual.

A system of compromises in the tuning of organs, pianofortes, and the like, whereby the tones generated with the vibrations of a ground tone are mutually modified and in part canceled, until their number reduced to the actual practicable scale of twelve tones to the octave. This scale, although in so far artificial, is yet closely suggestive of its origin in nature, and this system of tuning, although not mathematically true, yet satisfies the ear, while it has the convenience that the same twelve fixed tones answer for every key or scale, C# becoming identical with Dþ, and so on.

The tuning scheme according to which the intervals between half-tones are adjusted to permit a variety of chords to be played on a keyboard instrument. Various temperaments have developed over the years some of which favor some chords at the expense of others. The most common is 'equal temperament' with each half- tone of equal size.

an adjustment of the intervals (as in tuning a keyboard instrument) so that the scale can be used to play in different keys

a modification of a tuning which requires radical numbers to express some or all of the ratios between notes

Internal constitution; state with respect to the relative proportion of different qualities, or constituent parts.

The peculiar physical and mental character of an individual, in olden times erroneously supposed to be due to individual variation in the relations and proportions of the constituent parts of the body, especially of the fluids, as the bile, blood, lymph, etc. Hence the phrases, bilious or choleric temperament, sanguine temperament, etc., implying a predominance of one of these fluids and a corresponding influence on the temperament.

This was a system that Hippocrates used for relating a number of common conditions found in people. He described four temperaments, and each type was characterized by a similar psychology, metabolism, and pattern of illnesses. The four types are given in the following table, taken from Classical Astrology for Modern Living: Air Libra, Aquarius, Gemini Sanguine Wet, becoming Hot Fire Aries, Leo, Sagittarius Choleric Hot, becoming Dry Earth Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo Melancholic Dry, becoming Cold Water Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Phlegmatic Cold, becoming Wet Sanguine types are the jolly glad-handers; choleric type fly off the handle; melancholics are morose and brooding, and phlegmatic are lethargic. The temperaments system was recognized and used by all Galenic physicians, whether they used astrology or not in their practice. The astrologically-inclined would add the ability to calculate the temperament from the nativity, and the ability to predict challenges to the temperament based on the hard aspects of the Moon the to decumbiture chart.

In psychology, temperament is the innate aspect of an individual's personality, such as introversion or extroversion.