Origin: 1350–1400; ME
moderate (adj.),
moderaten (v.) < L
moderātus (ptp. of
moderārī to restrain, control), equiv. to
moderā- v. s. (
see modest) +
-tus ptp. suffix
—Related formsmod·er·ate·ly, adverb
mod·er·ate·ness, noun
non·mod·er·ate, adjective, noun
non·mod·er·ate·ly, adverb
non·mod·er·ate·ness, noun
sem·i·mod·er·ate, adjective
sem·i·mod·er·ate·ly, adverb
un·mod·er·at·ed, adjective
un·mod·er·at·ing, adjective
—Synonyms 1. reasonable, temperate, judicious, just, cool, steady, calm.
Moderate, temperate, judicious, reasonable all stress the avoidance of excess—emotional, physical, intellectual, or otherwise.
Moderate implies response or behavior that is by nature not excessive:
a moderate drinker, a moderate amount of assistance. Temperate, interchangeable with
moderate in some general uses, usually stresses the idea of caution, control, or self-restraint:
a surprisingly temperate response to the angry challenge. Judicious emphasizes prudence and the exercise of careful judgment:
a judicious balance between freedom and restraint; judicious care to offend neither side. Reasonable suggests the imposition or adoption of limits derived from the application of reason or good sense:
a reasonable price; a reasonable amount of damages allotted to each claimant. 2. average.
8. meliorate, pacify, calm, mitigate, soften, mollify, temper, qualify, appease, abate, lessen, diminish.
See allay. —Antonyms
5, 6. radical.