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Showing results for equivalent. Search instead for equivalents .
Synonyms

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.


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

"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

noun

  1. something that is equivalent

  2. short for equivalent weight

"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
equivalent Scientific  
/ ĭ-kwĭvə-lənt /
  1. Equal, as in value, meaning, or force.

    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.


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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Monday's report also found that somebody gained early access to the equivalent financial forecasts in March while Reeves was delivering her Spring Statement, though they did not act on the information.

From BBC

The e-commerce platform is often described as South Korea's equivalent of Amazon.com.

From BBC

According to Nasa, it comes roughly every 11 years when the Sun's magnetic poles flip - the Earth equivalent would be the North and South poles swapping positions.

From BBC

This month, Rheinmetall set out ambitions to quintuple sales by the end of the decade to the equivalent of roughly $58 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal

For RNA viruses, such as influenza, survival is equivalent to replication.

From Salon