Temperature
Etymology
From Latin "temperatura" (a proper mixing or tempering), from "temperare" (to blend, moderate). It once meant a balanced mixture of qualities — as in a body’s “temper” — before narrowing to the reading on a thermometer.
noun · /TEM-per-uh-cher/
A measure of how fast the particles in a substance are jiggling — how hot or cold it is.
What it names
The intensity of heat rather than the amount, which is why a spark is far hotter than a bath yet carries far less total heat energy.
Example
A sparkler burns at a high temperature but holds so little heat that its sparks are harmless on skin.
Related idea
Temperature is the average energy per particle; heat is the total energy that flows. A swimming pool at 25°C is cooler than a cup of coffee yet holds vastly more heat.