Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

equilibrium

/ɛkwɪˈlɪbɹɪəm/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.60 in modern English

Syllables: equi-lib-ri-um
IPA: /ɛkwɪˈlɪbɹɪəm/

24

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

5

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The condition of a system in which competing influences are balanced, resulting in no net change.

noun

Mental balance.

noun

The state of a reaction in which the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are the same.

noun

The state of a body at rest or in uniform motion in which the resultant of all forces on it is zero.

Example Sentences

"To Hydroſtaticks belong whatever relates to the Gravities and Equilibria of Liquors; with the Art of weighing Bodies in Water, in order to eſtimate the ſpecifick Gravities."
"1999, The Matrix, Agent Smith speech Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus."
"Tiffany Pollard: What just happened?! Eric Andre: That coffee mug is broken. Tiffany Pollard: I can't take this. This is gonna mess up my equilibrium."
"It now appears that the locomotive did not blow up, as was commonly stated at the time, but that the aeroplane flew so low as to come into contact with the dome of the engine, knocking it off. It was the combination of the impact and the uprush of steam that so disturbed the equilibrium of the raider as to cause it to crash."

Etymology

From Latin aequilībrium, from equal + lībra (“balance”).

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ɛkwɪˈlɪbɹɪəm/

Inflected Forms

equilibriums (plural) equilibria (plural) æquilibrium (alternative, archaic)

Derived Forms

disequilibrium dysequilibrium equilibrist hypoequilibrium isoequilibrium nonequilibrium photoequilibrium preequilibrium pseudoequilibrium quasiequilibrium reequilibrium superequilibrium

Phrases

acid-base equilibrium chemical equilibrium dynamic equilibrium dynamic stochastic general equilibrium economic equilibrium equilibrium constant equilibrium price equilibrium time

Frequently Paired Words

equilibrate equilibrioception equilibrize equivalence

Synonyms

balance stability sanity labyrinthine sense vestibular sense sense of balance sense of equilibrium chemical equilibrium

Antonyms

disequilibrium imbalance instability insanity madness nonequilibrium

Rhymes With

disequilibrium

Questions

How do you pronounce equilibrium?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɛkwɪˈlɪbɹɪəm/.
What does equilibrium mean?: The condition of a system in which competing influences are balanced, resulting in no net change.
Where does equilibrium come from?: From Latin aequilībrium, from equal + lībra (“balance”).

How to pronounce equilibrium

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