Английский Этимологический словарь - temple (2)

- "side of the forehead," c.1340, from O.Fr. temple "side of the forehead," from V.L. *tempula (fem. sing.), from L. tempora, pl. of tempus (gen. temporis) "side of the forehead," probably originally "the thin stretch of skin at the side of the forehead." Possibly associated with tempus span "timely space (for a mortal blow with a sword)," or from the notion of "stretched, thinnest part," which is the sense of cognate O.E. рunwange.