temperature

How hot or cold something is.

• The temperature is twenty degrees.
• Keep the milk at a low temperature.
• Temperatures fell sharply during the night.

How to use it: the temperature of something (Check the temperature of the water first.)

Common phrases: room temperature, high temperature, temperature of something

A body heat level that is higher than normal, usually because you are ill.

• The baby has a temperature.
• I stayed home because I was running a temperature.
• Has your temperature gone down yet?

Similar words: fever

Common phrases: have a temperature, run a temperature, high temperature

A physical measure related to how much energy the moving particles in a substance have.

• Temperature is measured in kelvin.
• The experiment linked temperature to the motion of molecules.
• Two systems in thermal equilibrium have the same temperature.

How to use it: the temperature of something (The temperature of the gas increased as its particles gained energy.)

Common phrases: absolute temperature, thermodynamic temperature, temperature of something