equilibrate

[ ih-kwil-uh-breyt, ee-kwuh-lahy-breyt, ek-wuh- ]

verb (used with object)

, e·quil·i·brat·ed, e·quil·i·brat·ing.

1. to balance equally; keep in equipoise or equilibrium.
2. to be in equilibrium with; counterpoise.

verb (used without object)

, e·quil·i·brat·ed, e·quil·i·brat·ing.

1. to be in equilibrium; balance.

equilibrate

/ ˌiːkwɪˈlaɪbreɪt; ˌiːkwɪlaɪˈbreɪʃən; ɪˈkwɪlɪˌbreɪt; ɪˈkwɪlɪˌbreɪtə; ɪˌkwɪlɪ- /

verb

1. to bring to or be in equilibrium; balance

Derived Forms

• equilibration, noun
• equilibrator, noun

Other Words From

• e·quili·bration noun
• e·quili·brator noun
• une·quili·brated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of equilibrate¹

1625–35; < Late Latin aequilībrātus, past participle of aequilībrāre to be in equilibrium; -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of equilibrate¹

C17: from Late Latin aequilībrāre, from aequilībris in balance; see equilibrium

Example Sentences

Without the sunlight — an external source of energy — the temperature of the rod will equilibrate to the temperature of its environment.

From Salon

“There are still a lot of equilibrating mechanisms built into our system — not just political, but economic,” Putnam said.

From Los Angeles Times

“Whenever there is a new recommendation, there are the early adopters who are extremely eager to want to get that booster right now,” she said, adding that “supply and demand will equilibrate in short order.”

From Seattle Times

I said,” No, she just has an elevated body temperature, because we’ve been sitting in a car that’s equilibrated with the outdoor weather.”

From Los Angeles Times

Here, climate sensitivity refers to the global warming after climate has equilibrated to a doubling of CO2 concentration relative to pre-industrial levels, an equilibrium that might take a few hundred years to establish8.

From Nature