temple
“temple” means “mettle” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
mettle, composure
Also: courage, temperament
📝 In Action
El capitán mostró un gran temple durante la tormenta.
B2The captain showed great mettle during the storm.
Para ser cirujano, se necesita mucho temple.
B2To be a surgeon, you need a lot of composure.
Es una mujer de temple que no se rinde fácilmente.
C1She is a woman of character who doesn't give up easily.
tempering, tuning
Also: hardness
📝 In Action
El temple del acero se logra enfriándolo rápidamente.
C1The tempering of steel is achieved by cooling it quickly.
La guitarra ha perdido el temple por la humedad.
C2The guitar has lost its tuning because of the humidity.
El artesano comprobó el temple de la hoja.
C1The craftsman checked the hardness (temper) of the blade.
moderate, warm up
📝 In Action
Espero que el agua se temple un poco antes de ducharme.
B1I hope the water warms up a bit before I shower.
Es importante que él temple sus nervios antes del examen.
B2It's important that he calms his nerves before the exam.
¡Temple esa guitarra ahora mismo!
B1Tune that guitar right now!
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "temple" in Spanish:
composure→courage→hardness→mettle→moderate→temperament→tempering→tuning→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: temple
Question 1 of 3
What does 'temple de acero' usually describe?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'temperare', meaning 'to mix in due proportion', 'to moderate', or 'to combine'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'temple' mean the same thing as the English word 'temple'?
Rarely. In English, 'temple' usually means a religious building or the side of your forehead. In Spanish, these are 'templo' and 'sien' respectively. The Spanish 'temple' usually means character or tempering.
How do I use 'temple' as a verb?
Use it when you want to tell someone to calm down politely ('¡Temple los ánimos!') or when expressing a wish about temperature ('Espero que se temple el café').
Can 'temple' describe the weather?
Not usually as a noun. Instead, use the related adjective 'templado' to say the weather is 'temperate' or mild.