Temperature Spelling in English: the Ultimate Guide

Spelling errors in writing may seem like a minor mistake, but they do substantial damage to your reputation as a writer. English is not a phonetic language which makes spelling mistakes a common phenomenon. This is especially true for words with more than two syllables, such as the temperature spelling. The confusion between similar vowel sounds is another cause of spelling errors. Therefore, this article will help you understand how to spell the word correctly.

Temperature or Temparature — Which Is Correct?

Temperature is the correct spelling of the word, while temparature is an incorrect spelling. Both look almost identical but notice that the incorrect spelling replaced the “e” with an “a.” People often misspell the word as temperatura, temperture, temprature, and other variations due to the differences in pronunciation.

The word “temperature” was adapted to the English language in the 17th century from the French word température and Latin temperatura. This word itself can be traced back to the early Latin temperare, meaning ‘restrain.’

How to Correctly Write Temperature Spelling?

The word “temperature” comprises five vowels and six consonants. This word is misspelled because the pronunciation varies in UK and US English, leading to confusion.

Temperature is a 4-syllable word [tem-per-a-ture] with the stress on the first syllable. The phonetic transcription is ˈtɛmp(ə)rətʃə/. While Americans pronounce the word as a 3 syllable word, tem·pruh·chr, the British prefer it to be tem·puh·ruh·chuh.

Note that temperature is written with an “e” in the second syllable “-per-” not an “a.” This is a squeezed schwa sound that is barely audible.

It becomes easier to spell when you break the word into its syllables. So, it’s wise not to try and spell the entire term in one go.

A white thermometer showing a 36 degrees Celsius temperature.
Photo by Matteo Fusco on Unsplash

Definition of Temperature With Examples

Temperature serves as a noun in sentences. It refers to the degree of heat present in a substance or object, especially as expressed by a comparative scale. This heat is measured by a thermometer or perceived by touch. Temperature can have different usage in sentences which are as follows:

1. The degree or intensity of internal heat of a person’s body.

We need to measure her temperature before going to the doctor.

2. refers to a body temperature that is above the normal range.

She is running a temperature from last night.

Wrapping Up

Temperature is a four-syllable word that may look like a difficult word to spell out, but it is not when you break it down. You will misspell the word when trying to spell the word at once based on pronunciation. This article discusses how to pronounce the word right and spell it out correctly.

Pam is an expert grammarian with years of experience teaching English, writing and ESL Grammar courses at the university level. She is enamored with all things language and fascinated with how we use words to shape our world.

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