equivalentadj.n.
/ɪˈkwɪvələnt/ A. adj. Equal in value, power, efficacy, or import. Const. to, †with, †for or simply.† 1. Of persons or things: Equal in power, rank, authority, efficacy, or excellence. Obsolete.† 2. Occasional uses.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [adjective] > equal or on the same level > of people
equipollenta1420
equivalentc1460
condignc1470
c1460 J. Fortescue Governance of Eng. (1714) 67 The Kyng of Scotts..put out of the..Lond, the Erles Dowglas, whose Lyvelood and Myght was nerehand equivalent to his owne.
a1513 H. Bradshaw Lyfe St. Werburge (1521) i. viii. sig. c.iiiiv Equyualent to Ruth she was in humylyte.
1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour i. xiv. sig. Hiijv At the laste we shulde haue..publike weale equiualent to the grekes or Romanes.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 437 The Duke of Burgoyn..thinking no man eyther in aucthoritie or bloud equyvalent to himselfe..tooke vpon him the whole rule and gouernaunce of the realme.
1597 F. Bacon Of Coulers Good & Euill (Arb.) v. 146 Fraunce..was equiualent with them all, and beside more compacted and vnited.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. 161 The oile of the Lentiske..were æquiualent euery way to oile-rosat, but that it is found to be more astringent.
1609 W. Shakespeare Pericles xxi. 80 Ancestors, who stood equiuolent with mightie Kings. View more context for this quotation
1655 in S. Hartlib Reformed Common-wealth Bees 25 As to Medicinal virtue æquivalent, if not exceeding the other.
1657 T. Burton Diary (1828) II. 88 Certainly their authority was equivalent with yours.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ix. 609 No Fair to thine Equivalent or second. View more context for this quotation
a1687 W. Petty Polit. Arithm. (1691) i. 1 A small Country and few People may be equivalent in Wealth and Strength to a far greater People and Territory.
a. Of songs: ? Concordant.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > [adjective] > melodious or harmonious
sweetc900
merryOE
softc1230
accordanta1325
well-soundingc1350
cordant1382
sootc1385
songfula1400
melodiousa1425
sugaredc1430
well-toneda1500
tunable1504
dulcea1513
equivalenta1513
consonant?1521
harmonicala1527
harmoniousc1550
consorteda1586
Orphean1593
concentful1595
melodical1596
sweet-recording1598
tuneful1598
sirenical1599
high-tuned1603
nightingale-like1611
soundful?1615
according1626
modulaminous1637
undiscording1645
canorous1646
symphonious1652
concinnous1654
consonous1654
harmonic1667
sirenica1704
symphonial1773
concentual1782
chantant1785
Memnonian1800
melodized1807
Orphic1817
undiscordant1819
concentuous1850
fluting1852
melodic1871
well-orchestrated1872
jarless1876
tuny1885
tunesome1890
a1513 H. Bradshaw Lyfe St. Werburge (1521) i. xxix. sig. k.iii Syngynge full swetely, theyr songes equyualent.
b. Correspondent, proportioned to. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > agreement, harmony, or congruity > suitability or appropriateness > [adjective] > that is in due proportion or proportionate > proportionate to
in (also for, of, with) proportiona1393
convenientc1405
affeiring1536
measurable1541
equivalent1575
commensurable1645
commoderate1650
correspondenta1656
commensurate1657
commeasurable1658
1575 J. Rolland Treat. Court Venus i. f. 13v It is Equiualent To all ressoun..That thy mater..I tak on hand.
3.
a. Equal in value. Now only in more restricted uses: (a) of things regarded as mutually compensating each other, or as exchangeable; (b) of things of which one serves as a measure of value for the other.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [adjective]
evenlyeOE
evenOE
egallc1374
equalc1400
pareilc1450
just1551
matchable1558
parile1606
equivalenta1626
a1626 J. Horsey Disc. Imploym. in E. A. Bond Russia at Close of 16th Cent. (1856) App. ii. 301 The gayne..wold be at the leaste equevolente with the comodytyes the marchantes should reape therby.
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iv. xviii. 198 Tarqueminus reserving his person [sc. King Louis] as an equivalent ransome.
c1720 M. Prior 1st Hymn Callimachus 70 Things of moment well nigh equivalent, and neighbouring value, By lot are parted.
1769 O. Goldsmith Rom. Hist. I. 210 The lives of two men were not an equivalent for those of an army.
1817 J. Mill Hist. Brit. India II. v. ii. 372 To pay an equivalent penalty, in case she failed in the proof of her charges.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 251 Thirty thousand pounds may be considered as equivalent to a hundred and fifty thousand pounds in the nineteenth century.
1858 Parl. Deb. 3rd Ser. 151 337 Taxation equivalent to £300,000,000.
b. Of weights, measures, numerical expressions: Equal in quantitative ‘value’.
ΚΠ
1806 C. Hutton Course Math. (ed. 5) I. 56 Reduce 56/ 7 to its equivalent number. To reduce a whole number to an equivalent fraction.
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic Gloss. 780 Quintal, a French or Spanish weight equivalent to 100 lbs. of those respective nations.
4. Having equal or corresponding import, meaning, or significance: chiefly of words and expressions.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > meaning of linguistic unit > [adjective] > equivalent in meaning
equivalent1529
equipollent1577
synonymous1610
1529 T. More Dialogue Heresyes iv, in Wks. 280/1 It is now all one to cal him a Lutherane or to call him an heretike, those two wordes being in maner equiualent.
1559 D. Lindsay Test. Papyngo l. 786 in Wks. (1931) I Doctryne and deid war boith equeuolent.
1614 J. Selden Titles of Honor 169 With them Princeps alone was equiualent with the name of Emperor.
1668 Bp. J. Wilkins Ess. Real Char. 369 That double Letter in the Hebrew (צ)..is by some accounted equivolent to this.
1749 J. Mason Ess. Power & Harmony Prosaic Numbers 61 Furnish yourself with a Copia of Equivalent Words.
1832 G. C. Lewis Remarks Use & Abuse Polit. Terms vii. 63 Here he makes a republic equivalent to a democracy.
1846 J. S. Mill Syst. Logic (ed. 2) i. v. §7 Let us substitute for the word virtue an equivalent but more definite expression.
1886 F. W. Maitland in Law Q. Rev. Oct. 481 The further back we trace our legal history the more perfectly equivalent do the words seisin and possession become.
5.
a. That is virtually the same thing; identical in effect; tantamount.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [adjective] > equal in effect or equivalent
convertiblec1386
fellowa1393
equipollec1430
answerable1551
countervailable1576
equiparable1611
reciprocal1616
equiparant1625
equiponderant1629
equivalent1639
tantamount1641
equiparate1655
equipollent1664
equal1677
adequative1809
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iii. xx. 144 Who knoweth not, but such a witnesse is equivalent to a generall consent?
1698 J. Keill Exam. Theory Earth (1734) 99 The centrifugal force..is equivalent..to two forces.
1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 153. ⁋4 The contrariety of equal attractions is equivalent to rest.
1772 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra II. lxviii. 328 Being taken with vert or venison was declared to be equivalent to indictment.
1842 E. Bulwer-Lytton Zanoni 28 A whisper against his honour and repute will, in future, be equivalent to an affront to myself.
1865 S. Austin tr. L. von Ranke Hist. Reformation in Germany III. 237 His presence..would be equivalent to an army of ten thousand men.
1885 H. W. Watson & S. H. Burbury Math. Theory Electr. & Magn. I. 145 The system is therefore equivalent to a complete sphere charged to unit potential.
b. Optics. equivalent focal length (see quots.).
ΚΠ
1867 T. Sutton & G. Dawson Dict. Photogr. (ed. 2) 116 Suppose that a lens..when presented towards a distant object, renders the image of it a certain size upon the ground glass. Then the ‘equivalent focal length’ of that lens..is equal to the principal focal length of a single lens, having a small stop in close contact with its central portion, which gives the same sized image of that object, when taken from the same point of view.
1961 A. L. M. Sowerby Dict. Photogr. (ed. 19) 335 The focal length, or equivalent focal length, of a lens is defined as the distance from the node of emission, to the position at which the lens forms a sharp image of a distant object.
c. equivalent circuit n. an electric circuit consisting usually of resistance, inductance and capacitance and having characteristics equivalent to those of other electric circuits or apparatus.
ΚΠ
1920 in Whittaker's Electr. Engineer's Pocket-bk. 242 When speaking of the constants of a transformer, it is permissible to consider an equivalent circuit, the impedance of which is such that the same current at the same power-factor would flow if the same pressure were applied to it as to the primary of the transformer.
1943 Electronic Engin. 16 149 It is convenient to consider an equivalent circuit composed of pure reactances and resistances.
1962 J. H. Simpson & R. S. Richards Physical Princ. Junction Transistors v. 75 These usually take the form of equivalent circuits which can be used to represent the transistor under different circuit conditions.
6. Having the same relative position or function; corresponding.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > correlation > [adjective]
redditivec1525
correlative1530
reciprocate?1532
responsive1604
reciprocal1617
collateral1659
equivalenta1661
responding1670
co-relative1761
relative1849
correlate1850
correlated1859
complementary1860
obverse1875
double of1876
complemental1882–3
dual1947
intercorrelational1970
a1661 W. Brereton Trav. (1844) 8 Burgomaisters..are equivalent to our bailiffs of cities or towns corporate.
1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) II. 583 The Cadi, or some equivalent officer.
1807 J. E. Smith Introd. Physiol. & Systematical Bot. 7 Perhaps in the fossil kingdom heat may be equivalent to a vital principle.
18.. Dana in Webster's Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. (1890) The equivalent strata of different countries.
1882 S. H. Vines tr. J. von Sachs Text-bk. Bot. (ed. 2) 152 The underground hairs of Mosses and the true roots of vascular plants are physiologically equivalent.
7. Chemistry. Of a quantity of any substance: Equal in combining value to a (stated) quantity of another substance. Also, of elements: Having the same degree of quantivalence.
ΚΠ
1850 C. G. B. Daubeny Introd. Atomic Theory (ed. 2) ix. 280 (note) Otto employs the term equivalent volume instead of atomic volume.
1871 H. E. Roscoe Lessons Elem. Chem. (new ed.) xvi. 172 The elements belonging to one class are equivalent.
1873 A. W. Williamson Chem. for Students (ed. 3) §85 One atom of oxygen takes the place of two atoms of chlorine, and it is spoken of as equivalent to two atoms of chlorine.
1880 tr. Wurtz' Atom. Th. 33 The atoms of simple bodies are equivalent to each other.
B. n.
1. † c. An equal part. Obsolete. rare.
a. Something equal in value or worth; said esp. of things given by way of exchange or compensation; also, something tantamount or virtually identical.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > [noun] > equal, counterpart, or equivalent
ylikeeOE
likea1200
make?c1225
fellow?a1425
proportion?a1425
countervailc1430
matcha1450
meetc1450
pareil?c1450
resemblant1484
equivalent1502
countermatch1587
second1599
parallel1600
equipollent1611
balancea1616
tantamount1637
analogy1646
analogate1652
form-fellow1659
equivalency1698
par1711
homologizer1716
peel1722
analogon1797
quits1806
correlate1821
analogue1837
representant1847
homologue1848
countertype1855
homologon1871
correlative1875
vis-à-vis1900
counterpart1903
1502 tr. Ordynarye of Crysten Men (de Worde) iv. vii. sig. s.v v By delyberacyon & fully consentynge or equyualent trespasseth ony of the .x. commaundementes.
1672 A. Marvell Rehearsal Transpros'd i. 234 You may well think we expected no less an equivalent.
1722 R. Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 678 I'll remit the money to you as you direct, or send you equivalents.
a1729 J. Rogers 19 Serm. (1735) xiii. 264 A regular Obedience to one Law will be a full Equivalent for their Breach of another.
1762 O. Goldsmith Citizen of World I. 104 For every dinner..they returned him an equivalent in praise.
1771 O. Goldsmith Hist. Eng. IV. 270 This, however, was considered as no equivalent to the damages that had been sustained.
1792 J. Almon Anecd. Life W. Pitt (octavo ed.) II. xxiii. 52 Belleisle alone..was a sufficient equivalent for Minorca.
1828 Ld. Grenville Sinking Fund 9 Those quantities of money and of bread are equivalents.
1841 E. W. Lane tr. Thousand & One Nights I. 18 To be paid in kind, or in money, or other equivalent.
1855 A. Bain Senses & Intellect ii. iii. 554 The existence of a plurality of weak resemblances will be the equivalent of a single stronger one.
1872 J. Yeats Techn. Hist. Commerce 159 Thus a white weasel's skin was an equivalent for eleven sheepskins.
b. the Equivalent in English History: a sum of money ordered, by the Act of Union of 1707, to be paid to Scotland as a set-off against additional excise duties, loss on coinage, etc.
ΚΠ
1706 Articles of Union xv The sum of 398,085l. 10 s...being the equivalent to be answered to Scotland for such parts of the said customs and excises, etc. The said commissioners..shall keep books containing accounts of the amount of the equivalent.
1707 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) VI. 181 Most of the Scotch commissioners for the equivalent are gone for that kingdom.
1708 London Gaz. No. 4419/6 A..quantity of arms..belonging to the Commissioners of the Equivalent.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > one of the parts into which anything is divided > equal
equivalentc1590
c1590 C. Marlowe Faustus (1878) vii. 12 The streets straight~forth..Quarter the town in four equivalents.
2. A word, expression, sign, etc., of equivalent meaning or import.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > semantics > synonymy > [noun] > synonym
synonym?a1475
synonymy1609
equivalent1651
synonymal1662
duplicate1839
1651 T. Hobbes Philos. Rudim. ii. §20. 32 The words themselves..have in them the very essence of an Oath, to wit, so God help me, or other equivalent.
1862 H. Spencer First Princ. ii. v. §61. 224 Appearance, which is its [phenomenon's] verbal equivalent.
1865 E. B. Tylor Res. Early Hist. Mankind v. 96 Wrote down the pictured equivalents for these words.
1876 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest II. App. 683 I have not found any English equivalent for that title.
3. In various scientific uses:figurative.1878 J. R. Seeley Life & Times Stein II. 17 Napoleon..had tried to find the Mechanical Equivalent of Catholicism.
a. Chemistry. = equivalent proportion (see quot and A. 7.).
ΚΠ
1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. xxii. 554 The term chemical equivalent may therefore be used to imply that proportion of a body which is necessary to act upon another body.
1850 C. G. B. Daubeny Introd. Atomic Theory (ed. 2) ii. 69 The combining proportions..are termed chemical equivalents.
1881 A. W. Williamson in Nature No. 618. 416 The term equivalent was subsequently introduced to indicate the proportional weights of analogous substances found to be of equal value in their chemical effects.
b. That which corresponds in relative position or function (see A. 6); in Biology said of analogous and homologous structures; in Geology of a stratum or formation in one country answering to one in another country.
ΚΠ
1839 R. I. Murchison Silurian Syst. i. iii. 33 The English equivalents of the Keuper.
1851 S. P. Woodward Man. Mollusca i. 48 The univalve shell is the equivalent of both valves of the bivalve.
c. Physics. mechanical equivalent: the amount of mechanical effect resulting from the operation of a force. mechanical equivalent of heat: conventionally, the amount of mechanical energy required to raise 1 lb. of water through 1° C.; cf. joule n.; mechanical equivalent of light: the amount of radiant flux that corresponds to unit luminous flux (or, in quot. 19082, that is emitted by a source of unit luminous intensity), usually expressed in watts per lumen.
ΚΠ
1845 Rep. Brit. Assoc. ii. 31 (heading) On the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat.
1846 W. R. Grove On Correlation Physical Forces 10 Where both lose, then an equivalent of heat results.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps ii. xix. 329 This force is the mechanical equivalent of the heat generated.
1862 H. Spencer First Princ. ii. v. §62. 231 An equivalent of the pressure we consciously exert.
1863 J. Tyndall Heat (1870) ii. 39 He first calculated the mechanical equivalent of heat.
1876 P. G. Tait Lect. Recent Adv. in Physical Sci. vi. 137 For a quantity of heat represents its equivalent of work.
1908 Proc. Royal Soc. 1907–8 A. 80 19 The labours of workers in Germany and in the United States [have not]..sufficed to permit of definite values being adopted for..the mechanical equivalent of light.
1908 Proc. Royal Soc. 1907–8 A. 80 22 The mechanical equivalent of light M = 4πρ/ I = Wr/ Kf d/ D2, giving the mechanical equivalent in watts per candle.
1959 W. S. Sharps Dict. Cinematogr. 110/2 The reciprocal of the luminous efficiency of radiant energy is often termed, the ‘mechanical equivalent of light’.
Compounds
equivalent-money n. (see B. 1b).
ΚΠ
1707 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) VI. 189 The remainder of the equivalent money for Scotland is to be sent thither next Tuesday in specie and bank bills.
1715 London Gaz. No. 5307/2 Commissioners for disposing so much of the Equivalent Mony payable to Scotland as remains yet unapplied.
equivalent number n. Chemistry atomic weight.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > atomic physics > [noun] > atomic weight
atomic weight1819
equivalent number1826
atomic mass1884
relative atomic mass1892
1826 W. Henry Elements Exper. Chem. (ed. 10) I. ix. 629 The equivalent number, or weight of the atom, of alumina, has been less satisfactorily determined than that of most of the earths.
Draft additions 1993
Mathematics. Belonging to the same equivalence class.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > mathematical number or quantity > numerical arrangement > [adjective] > of sets > in abstract algebra > of groups
reducible1585
transitive1861
primitive1888
simple1888
special1888
cyclic1889
intransitive1889
solvable1892
finite1893
perfect1898
Abelian1900
soluble1902
proper1906
trivial1915
equivalent1948
hypercyclic1968
sporadic1968
1948 W. H. Werkmeister Basis & Struct. of Knowl. vi. 205 No matter how much the elements of these various classes differ in quality, the classes themselves, as equivalent classes, have something in common—something which is ‘invariant’ and which constitutes their ‘equivalence’.
1986 C. W. Norman Undergraduate Algebra i. 25 Two elements of X are equivalent if and only if their squares are equal. The equivalence classes, in this case, are [etc.].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.c1460