From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordA balanced condition without excess in a quality.
- In the bookQualitas lists the relevant pairs, hot or cold and dry or moist, according to an element’s predominance.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 44; facsimile PDF page 372.
Historical definition
Temperatum is that which exceeds in no quality.
Meaning
The entry describes a relation among qualities. It does not mean that a thing lacks qualities; the distinguishing feature is absence of excess.
Use in the book
Qualitas lists the relevant pairs, hot or cold and dry or moist, according to an element’s predominance. Read together, the definitions situate Temperatum within the compiler’s account of constitution and proportion.
Places to read
- TemperatumRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- QualitasThe balance of hot, cold, dry and moist qualities.
In this edition
Temperate or balanced can help an English reader, but the historical heading is retained. Its sense here is broader than a statement about moderate temperature alone.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 44; facsimile PDF page 372 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Temperatum; 1650 facsimile PDF p. 372; compare Qualitas