[ad. late or med.L. tepiditās (631 in Gallia Christiana, II. 186), f. tepidus TEPID. So F. tépidité (14th c. in Godef., Compl.).] The quality or condition of being tepid; moderate or slight warmth; lukewarmness. a. lit.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Tepidity, lukewarmnesse.
1676. in Phil. Trans., XI. 601. Any perceptible degree of tepidity.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 80, ¶ 3. The body, chilled with the weather, is gradually recovering its natural tepidity.
b. fig.
a. 1631. Donne, Select. (1840), 220. This heat may ouercome my former frigidity and coldness, and my succeeding tepidity and lukewarmness.
1740. [see TEPID b].
1819. Metropolis, I. 48. The mawkish tepidity of his manner.
1884. Fortn. Rev., Jan., 138. Tepidity of political belief.