equivalent
equivalent Lexical Profile
equivalent Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Equal in value, amount, function, meaning, or significance, though not necessarily identical in form.
"The job opening requires a master's degree or equivalent professional experience."
Having the same area or volume (of geometric figures), the same truth value (of logical statements), or the same chemical combining capacity.
"Two triangles with the same base length and height are geometrically equivalent in area."
• noun
A person or thing that is equal to or corresponds with another in value, amount, function, or meaning.
"There is no exact English equivalent for that particular German expression."
The mass of a chemical substance that combines with or displaces a fixed quantity of another substance, such as one gram of hydrogen or eight grams of oxygen.
"The chemist calculated the acid's gram equivalent before performing the titration."
Word Nuance & Usage
While "equal" typically denotes exact identity in quantity, size, or mathematical value, "equivalent" implies having the same effect, significance, or worth despite differences in form or nature (e.g., two diplomas from different countries may be equivalent without being identical).
• Rhymes for equivalent
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late Middle Ages from Late Latin aequivalentem, the present participle of aequivalere ("to have equal power or worth"), formed from aequus ("equal") and valere ("to be strong, be worth").