From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtemperatem‧pe‧ra /ˈtempərə/ noun [uncountable] AVPa type of paint in which the colour is mixed with a thick liquid
Examples from the Corpus
tempera• As the varnish dries, so the egg tempera closes up into a perfectly fine line.• Walls and ceilings were marble faced or decorated with paintings in fresco, tempera or caustic medium.• Areas of bright stucco work have been found over the first layer of tempera.• Why not lay in the line of tempera, holding the brush against a straight edge, such as a ruler.• Soft haired brushes are mostly used for watercolour or tempera painting, with bristle mainly for oils.• Turns out tempera contains enticing egg yolk.• The money is for fitting out a laboratory dealing with tempera paintings.Origin tempera (1800-1900) Italian “temper”, from Latin temperare; → TEMPER2 