equivalent

[ ih-kwiv-uh-luhnt or, for 5, ee-kwuh-vey-luhnt ]

/ ɪˈkwɪv ə lənt or, for 5, ˌi kwəˈveɪ lənt /

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See synonyms for: equivalent / equivalently on Thesaurus.com

adjective

equal in value, measure, force, effect, significance, etc.: His silence is equivalent to an admission of guilt.

corresponding in position, function, etc.: In some ways their prime minister is equivalent to our president.

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

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

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

noun

something that is equivalent.

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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

synonym study for equivalent

1. See equal.

OTHER WORDS FROM equivalent

e·quiv·a·lent·ly, adverbnon·e·quiv·a·lent, adjective, nounnon·e·quiv·a·lent·ly, adverbqua·si-e·quiv·a·lent, adjective

qua·si-e·quiv·a·lent·ly, adverbsu·per·e·quiv·a·lent, adjective, nounun·e·quiv·a·lent, adjectiveun·e·quiv·a·lent·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH equivalent

equivalent , equivocal

Words nearby equivalent

equivalence, equivalence class, equivalence principle, equivalence relation, equivalency, equivalent, equivalent air speed, equivalent circuit, equivalent focal length, equivalent weight, equivalve

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use equivalent in a sentence

What was once seen as the neurological equivalent of annoying television static may have profound implications for how scientists study the brain.
Brain’s ‘Background Noise’ May Hold Clues to Persistent Mysteries|Elizabeth Landau|February 8, 2021|Quanta Magazine
The hours he worked add up to the equivalent of more than six 40-hour workweeks.
How the Police Bank Millions Through Their Union Contracts|by Andrew Ford, Asbury Park Press, and Agnes Chang, Jeff Kao and Agnel Philip, ProPublica|February 8, 2021|ProPublica
Amtrak is giving a bonus, the equivalent of two hours of pay, to those who get vaccinated, the company said.
Get paid for getting a coronavirus vaccine? Amtrak offers a cash bonus to workers who get vaccinated.|Luz Lazo|February 3, 2021|Washington Post
Just 24 hours after Moore started walking, he had raised the equivalent of $8,750.
Capt. Tom Moore dies after covid diagnosis. The 100-year-old raised millions for Britain's NHS.|Jennifer Hassan, William Booth|February 2, 2021|Washington Post

It’s still 85% effective in preventing severe symptoms, meaning people who get the J&J shot and later contract the virus could suffer the equivalent of a bad cold, rather than maybe needing to go to the hospital, or worse.
Why You Should Get Whichever COVID-19 Vaccine You Can|Alex Fitzpatrick|February 2, 2021|Time
It's cheesy and ludicrous and, therefore, delightful; it's the reading equivalent of hate-watching.
‘A Gronking to Remember’ Speed Read: 8 Naughtiest Bits|Emily Shire|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Desert Golfing is the gaming equivalent of putting TV on in the background.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Right now it looks like the diplomatic equivalent of one hand clapping.
Obama’s One Hand Clap With Castro|Doug McIntyre|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was the equivalent of becoming a black Klansman or Jewish Nazi.
The Sydney Astrologer Turned Islamic Radical|Jacob Siegel|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The two scientific stories resort to the equivalent of Mathematics for Dummies andPhysics for Dummies.
Why Can’t Movies Capture Genius?|Clive Irving|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Its use by so distinguished a person as Raleigh was equivalent to its general introduction.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
But in such expressions as "I am rather tired," equivalent to "I am a little tired," the explanation is not so obvious.
Notes and Queries, Number 177, March 19, 1853|Various
Therefore, a very pale yellow may be its usual test for efficiency, and the equivalent will be maintained.
Notes and Queries, Number 177, March 19, 1853|Various
Pigeons' dung, according to Boussingault, contains 8·3 per cent of nitrogen, equivalent to 10·0 of ammonia.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry|Thomas Anderson
And a promise equivalent to this he made when he engaged to establish his called and chosen, as a holy people to himself.
The Ordinance of Covenanting|John Cunningham

British Dictionary definitions for equivalent

equivalent

/ (ɪˈkwɪvələnt) /

adjective

equal or interchangeable in value, quantity, significance, etc

having the same or a similar effect or meaning

maths

having a particular property in common; equal
(of two equations or inequalities) having the same set of solutions
(of two sets) having the same cardinal number

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

noun

something that is equivalent

short for equivalent weight

Derived forms of equivalent

equivalently, adverb

Word Origin for equivalent

C15: from Late Latin aequivalēns, from aequivalēre to be equally significant, from Latin aequi- equi- + valēre to be worth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for equivalent

equivalent

[ ĭ-kwĭv′ə-lənt ]

Equal, as in value, meaning, or force.

Of or relating to a relation between two elements that is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive.
Having a one-to-one correspondence, as between parts. Two triangles having the same area are equivalent, as are two congruent geometric figures.

equivalent

Origin of equivalent

synonym study for equivalent

OTHER WORDS FROM equivalent

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH equivalent

Words nearby equivalent

Words related to equivalent

How to use equivalent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for equivalent

Derived forms of equivalent

Word Origin for equivalent

Scientific definitions for equivalent