I. dis-ˈtem-pər transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English distempren, from Late Latin distemperare to temper badly, from Latin dis- + temperare to temper
Date: 14th century
1. : to throw out of order
2. archaic : derange , unsettle
II. noun
Date: 1546
1. : bad humor or temper
2. : a disordered or abnormal bodily state especially of quadruped mammals: as
a. : a highly contagious virus disease especially of dogs that is caused by a paramyxovirus (species Canine distemper virus of the genus Morbillivirus ) and is marked by fever, leukopenia, and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms
b. : strangles
c. : panleukopenia
3. : ailment , disorder
vice and folly are situated not in human nature…but in distemper s of intellect — George Stade
• dis·tem·per·ate -p(ə-)rət adjective
III. noun
Etymology: obsolete distemper, verb, to dilute, mix to produce distemper, from Middle English, from Anglo-French destemprer, from Latin dis- + temperare
Date: 1632
1. : a process of painting in which the pigments are mixed with an emulsion of egg yolk, with size, or with white of egg as a vehicle and which is used for painting scenery and murals
2.
a. : the paint or the prepared ground used in the distemper process
b. : a painting done in distemper
3. : any of various water-based paints
IV. transitive verb
Date: circa 1873
: to paint in or with distemper