equivalent

American  

[ih-kwiv-uh-luhnt, ee-kwuh-vey-luhnt] / ɪˈkwɪv ə lənt, ˌi kwəˈveɪ lənt /

adjective

1. equal in value, measure, force, effect, significance, etc..

   His silence is equivalent to an admission of guilt.

2. corresponding in position, function, etc..

   In some ways their prime minister is equivalent to our president.

3. Geometry. having the same extent, as a triangle and a square of equal area.

4. Mathematics. (of two sets) able to be placed in one-to-one correspondence.

5. Chemistry. having the same capacity to combine or react chemically.

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noun

1. something that is equivalent.

equivalent British  

/ ɪˈkwɪvələnt /

adjective

1. equal or interchangeable in value, quantity, significance, etc

2. having the same or a similar effect or meaning

3. maths

   1. having a particular property in common; equal

   2. (of two equations or inequalities) having the same set of solutions

   3. (of two sets) having the same cardinal number

4. maths logic (of two propositions) having an equivalence between them

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noun

1. something that is equivalent

2. short for equivalent weight

equivalent Scientific  

/ ĭ-kwĭv′ə-lənt /

1. Equal, as in value, meaning, or force.

2. 1. Of or relating to a relation between two elements that is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive.

   2. Having a one-to-one correspondence, as between parts. Two triangles having the same area are equivalent, as are two congruent geometric figures.

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Related Words

See equal.

Other Word Forms

• equivalently adverb
• nonequivalent adjective
• nonequivalently adverb
• quasi-equivalent adjective
• quasi-equivalently adverb
• superequivalent adjective
• unequivalent adjective
• unequivalently adverb

Etymology

Origin of equivalent

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin aequivalent- (stem of aequivalēns ), present participle of aequivalēre. See equi-, -valent

Example Sentences

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission on Friday said that Australia’s Federal Court had raised the amount that the country’s fourth-largest bank must pay to 250 million Australian dollars, equivalent to US$165.3 million.

From The Wall Street Journal

Nabokov set an impossible mark for himself and hit it, the literary equivalent of Babe Ruth’s called shot, and his book deserves to be mythologized in similar fashion.

From Salon

As of Sept. 30, the company had $716 million in cash, cash equivalents and other short-term investments, according to its third-quarter earnings report.

From Barron's

You have children who will also benefit from an inheritance, so this is the equivalent of a double-edged silver sword with — you’ll be glad to know — relatively blunt edges.

From MarketWatch

According to PTTEP, SK408 block has proven reserves of 29 million of barrels of oil equivalent and proved and probable reserves of 52 million barrels of oil equivalent.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• commensurate
• comparable
• corresponding
• equal
• identical
• proportionate
• tantamount