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).
Similar or identical in value, meaning or effect; virtually equal.
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.1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
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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.2012 March 23, Henry Petroski, “Opening Doors”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, pages 112–3:
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.2024 November 15, Kristen Rogers, “Want to live an extra 5 to 10 years? Adopt this habit, study suggests”, in CNN, archived from the original on 11 Jul 2025:
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Mathematics, Sciences Of two sets, having a one-to-one correspondence.
All enumerable sets are equivalent to each other, but not to any finite set.1950, E. Kamke, Theory of Sets, page 16:
Equivalent sets should, by rights, have the same "number" of elements. For this reason we sometimes say that equivalent sets have the same cardinality.2000, N. L. Carothers, Real Analysis, page 18:
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Finite sets A and B are equivalent sets only when n(A) = n(B) i.e., the number of elements in A and B are equal.c. 2005, P N Gupta Kulbhushan, Comprehensive MCQ's in Mathematics, page 3:
The equivalence theorem: If both M is equivalent to a subset N₁ of N and N is equivalent to a subset M₁ of M, then the sets M and N are equivalent to each other.2006, Joseph Breuer, Introduction to the Theory of Sets, page 41:
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Mathematics, Sciences Relating to the corresponding elements of an equivalence relation.
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Category theory, Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences 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.
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Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Having the equal ability to combine.
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).
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Anything that is virtually equal to something else, or has the same value, force, etc.
He owned that, if the Test Act were repealed, the Protestants were entitled to an equivalent, and went so far as to suggest several equivalents.1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter VII, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume I, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
Our decision about energy will test the character of the American people and the ability of the President and the Congress to govern. This difficult effort will be the "moral equivalent of war" — except that we will be uniting our efforts to build and not destroy.1977 April 18, Jimmy Carter, President's Address to the Nation on Proposed National Energy Policy:
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Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences An equivalent weight.
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).