equidistant

[ ee-kwi-dis-tuhnt, ek-wi- ]

adjective

1. equally distant.

equidistant

/ ˌiːkwɪˈdɪstənt /

adjective

1. distant by equal amounts from two or more places

equidistant

/ ē′kwĭ-dĭs′tənt /

1. Equally distant.

Derived Forms

• ˌequiˈdistance, noun
• ˌequiˈdistantly, adverb

Other Words From

• equi·distant·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of equidistant¹

1560–70; < Middle French < Late Latin aequidistant- (stem of aequidistāns ). See equi-, distant

Example Sentences

Also, the boundary that separates two cells is equidistant from both their seeds.

From Science News

At one point, we all crawled to a central point equidistant from our respective holes.

From Outside Online

After work one quiet Sunday night I spotted “The World” on the shelf in the “Essays” section, equidistant from volumes by James Baldwin and Virginia Woolf.

From Washington Post

Meanwhile, respondents put Obama at 3.9 and Romney at 6.1—each of them equidistant (1.1 points) from the center.

From The Daily Beast

The Chester road enters the valley at a point about equidistant from either end.

From Project Gutenberg

They are almost equidistant from each other, and the next to the lowest one is the longest.

From Project Gutenberg

The windows of this apartment were two in number, and, equidistant from the doors, were considerably elevated above the floor.

From Project Gutenberg

Some Swastikas have three dots placed equidistant around each of the four ends (fig. 12c).

From Project Gutenberg

Parallel lines are those equidistant one from the other throughout their length, as in Figure 42.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Equidistant

What does equidistant mean?

If two things or places are equidistant from something, they are equally far away.

Equidistant is another way of saying equally distant, meaning at the same distance from something. This doesn’t mean they are in the same location: two different cities might be equidistant to where you live—they might be both 50 miles away from your home. Often, equidistant refers to things that are approximately but not exactly the same distance apart.

Example: The architectural plans require every single pole to be equidistant to the main pillar—they should all be exactly 27 feet away.

Where does equidistant come from?

The first records of equidistant come from the 1500s. It derives from the Late Latin aequidistāns and is a combination of equi-, meaning “equal,” and the adjective distant, meaning “far apart.”

Equidistant is used in comparisons that require at least three points or locations: the primary location and two or more points that are equally far away from it. In a very strict, technical sense, equidistant means exactly the same distance apart. In geometry, the center of a circle is known to be equidistant from any point on its circumference (its outer boundary). In fields like architecture and engineering, the term equidistant might be used in a very precise way for practical purposes, such as when constructing buildings or bridges. But in everyday conversation, when we describe locations as equidistant, we typically mean that they are roughly the same distance away from something. For example, if one grocery store is located 3.2 miles from your house, and another grocery store is located 3.5 miles from your house, you’re likely to consider the two stores equidistant. (Since they’re the same distance away, you’ll probably usually go to the one you like better, like the one with the better salad bar.)

It is important to remember that two points can be equidistant from a main point without all three being in a straight line. In the example above, one grocery store might be located west of your house, and the other might be located to the southeast. Even though all three points don’t lie within a straight line, the two stores are still considered equidistant.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to equidistant?

• equidistance (noun)
• equidistantly (adverb)

What are some synonyms for equidistant?

• equally distant

What are some words that share a root or word element with equidistant? 

• equal
• distant
• equinox
• equity

What are some words that often get used in discussing equidistant?

 

• location
• point
• middle
• center
• circle
• halfway
• map

How is equidistant used in real life?

Equidistant means exactly the same distance apart, but it’s most commonly used in a casual way to describe things that are roughly the same distance away from something.

Central Jersey is perfect – equidistant to NYC and Philly – Route 1 corridor lots of opportunity for Corporate level jobs

— You Are My Arsenal (@YouAreMyArsenal) February 26, 2020

where I live sits literally in the middle of three chick fil a’s. they’re all equidistant from my house. either way i’m bout to be in the car for the next hour smh.

— ⚜️ (@fxxksaint) April 28, 2020

It feels like there is a cat on my lap, but in fact I am surrounded by three cats at equidistant points.

— Tyler Friend (@Maniacally) April 26, 2020

 

 

Try using equidistant!

True or False? 

Because they appear to be about the same size in the sky, the sun and the moon could be considered equidistant from Earth.