moderate

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmɑdəɹət/, /ˈmɑdəɹeɪt/; /ˈmɒdəɹət/, /ˈmɒdəɹeɪt/ (UK)^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English moderat, borrowed from Latin moderātus (“kept within bounds, restrained”),^[2][3][4] the past participle of moderārī (“to regulate, restrain”),^[2][3] from a stem *modes- related to modus (“measure”) and modestus (“modest”) (see modest and mode),^[2][5][4] from PIE Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to take appropriate measures”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Not excessive or extreme, originally of weather and physical conditions: 1392 in Barnhart, 1398 in the OED, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^[2][6][3]

Semantic evolution

Of persons, avoiding excess, it is from the early 15th century, of opinions from the 1640s and of prices from the 1670s.^[3] The verb, to reduce the intensity of something, is from the early 15th century, probably before 1425 in Barnhart,^[3][2] to preside over a debate from the 1570s,^[3] and to become less violent from the 1670s.^[3] The noun, a person of moderate views, is from 1794, in Burke;^[3] MWU dates it to 1648, intended as a translation of French modéré.^[4] In Presbyterian churches to moderate is to preside over a church court.^[7]

Timeline

• 1392 – not excessive.^[2]
• early 15th century – the verb, to abate; of persons, temperate.^[3]
• 1570s – to preside over a debate.^[3]
• 1640s – of opinions.^[3]
• 1794 – a moderate person.^[3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Within reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme.
2. Mild or calm; temperate.
3. Average in amount, quality or extent: moderate success.
4. Opposed to radical or extreme views, especially in politics.

Noun

1. A person with moderate views.

Verb

1. To make or become less extreme or violent.
2. To preside over a meeting or discussion.

Word family

• moderately
• moderateness
• moderation
• nonmoderate
• unmoderated
• unmoderating
• moderate breeze

Related words

• modal
• modality
• mode
• model
• moderator
• module
• modest
• modicum
• immoderate

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)