The word 'tempera' entered English in the 19th century as a direct borrowing from Italian, where it referred specifically to a painting technique. Its ultimate source is the Latin verb 'temperare', meaning 'to mix in due proportion, to moderate, or to regulate'. This Latin root is also the ancestor of English words like 'temper' and 'temperate', carrying the core idea of proper mixing or balancing. In the artistic context, 'temperare' described the crucial process of blending dry pigments with a binding agent, such as egg, to create a workable paint. Thus, the modern term 'tempera' preserves this ancient concept of mixture, now specialized to denote a specific, classic painting medium.

The word is a loanword from Italian, adopted as a whole into English. It originates from the Italian phrase 'pingere a tempera', meaning 'to paint in distemper'. The Italian word 'tempera' derives from the verb 'temperare' (to mix, to temper).