Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

equivalent

/ɪˈkwɪvələnt/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.50 in modern English

Syllables: equiv-a-lent
IPA: /ɪˈkwɪvələnt/

22

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Similar or identical in value, meaning or effect; virtually equal.

adj

Of two sets, having a one-to-one correspondence.

adj

Relating to the corresponding elements of an equivalence relation.

adj

Of two categories, (informally) such that one is essentially a relabeling of the other; (formally) related by a pair of functors such the composition of the one with the other is naturally isomorphic to the identity functor.

adj

Having the equal ability to combine.

adj

Of a map, equal-area.

adj

Equal in measure but not admitting of superposition; applied to magnitudes.

noun

Anything that is virtually equal to something else, or has the same value, force, etc.

Example Sentences

"To burn calories, a thirty-minute jog is equivalent to a couple of hamburgers."
"For now to serve and to minister, servile and ministerial, are terms equivalent."
"A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place. Applying a force tangential to the knob is essentially equivalent to applying one perpendicular to a radial line defining the lever."
"Total activity levels in the lowest quartile were equivalent to walking for 49 minutes at roughly 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) per hour daily. Total activity levels in the second-, third- and fourth-highest quartiles were equivalent to 78, 105 and 160 minutes, respectively."
"All enumerable sets are equivalent to each other, but not to any finite set."
"Equivalent sets should, by rights, have the same "number" of elements. For this reason we sometimes say that equivalent sets have the same cardinality."

Etymology

From Latin aequivalentem, accusative singular of aequivalēns, present active participle of aequivaleō (“to be equivalent, have equal power”). By surface analysis, equi- + -valent. Mostly displaced native Middle English efenmete (See evenmete).

Word Breakdown

Root: *h₂welh₁-

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

more equivalent (comparative) most equivalent (superlative) æquivalent (alternative, obsolete) eq. (alternative, abbreviation) equivalents (plural) equivalents (present, singular) equivalenting (participle, present) equivalented (participle, past) equivalented (past)

Derived Forms

biequivalent bioequivalent cyberequivalent equivalentist equivalently inequivalent macroequivalent microequivalent milliequivalent nanoequivalent nonequivalent osmoequivalent

Phrases

background radiation equivalent time banana equivalent dose carbon dioxide equivalent car equivalent unit equivalent airspeed equivalent dose equivalent potential temperature equivalent shaft horsepower

Frequently Paired Words

counterpart

Synonyms

on a par equipollent equinumerous tantamount equivalent weight combining weight eq

Rhymes With

ambivalent

Questions

How do you pronounce equivalent?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪˈkwɪvələnt/.
What does equivalent mean?: Similar or identical in value, meaning or effect; virtually equal.
Where does equivalent come from?: From Latin aequivalentem, accusative singular of aequivalēns, present active participle of aequivaleō (“to be equivalent, have equal power”). By surface analysis, equi- + -valent. Mostly displaced native Middle English efenmete (See evenmete).

How to pronounce equivalent

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “equivalent”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɪˈkwɪvələnt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “equivalent”.
Repeat and practice — Say “equivalent” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.