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

Nigel Fletcher, CEO of the Motability Foundation, said that would be the equivalent of a price rise of £1,100 for every driver on the scheme.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

By 10:24 p.m., the equivalent of 20,000 Olympic swimming pools of water flows out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

In Paris, for example, the average price per gallon hit the equivalent of $10.27 this week.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

They are polite background noise — the culinary equivalent of a cubicle in a Schaumburg office park.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

The Osage had been forced to finance part of the federal investigation with their own money—an amount that would eventually reach $20,000, the equivalent today of nearly $300,000.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

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