moderator

[ mod-uh-rey-ter ]

noun

1. a person or thing that moderates.
2. a person who presides over a panel discussion on radio or television.
3. a member of an online message board or electronic mailing list with privileges and responsibilities to approve or reject messages and uphold the terms of service.
4. a presiding officer, as at a public forum, a legislative body, or an ecclesiastical body in the Presbyterian Church.
5. Physics. a substance, as graphite or heavy water, used to slow neutrons to speeds at which they are more efficient in causing fission.

moderator

/ ˈmɒdəˌreɪtə /

noun

1. a person or thing that moderates
2. Presbyterian Church a minister appointed to preside over a Church court, synod, or general assembly
3. a presiding officer at a public or legislative assembly
4. a material, such as heavy water or graphite, used for slowing down neutrons in the cores of nuclear reactors so that they have more chance of inducing nuclear fission
5. an examiner at Oxford or Cambridge Universities in first public examinations
6. (in Britain and New Zealand) one who is responsible for consistency of standards in the grading of some educational assessments
7. a person who monitors the conversations in an on-line chatroom for bad language, inappropriate content, etc

moderator

/ mŏd′ə-rā′tər /

1. A substance, such as graphite, water, or heavy water, placed in a nuclear reactor to slow neutrons down to speeds at which they are more likely to be captured by fissionable components of a fuel (such as uranium-235) and less likely to be absorbed by nonfissionable components of a fuel (such as uranium-238).
2. Also called neutron moderator
3. See also slow neutron

Derived Forms

• ˈmodeˌratorship, noun

Other Words From

• mod·er·a·to·ri·al [mod-er-, uh, -, tawr, -ee-, uh, l, -, tohr, -], adjective
• moder·ator·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of moderator¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin moderātor, equivalent to moderā ( rī ) to control ( moderate ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

“Queer content creators can always find new ways of expression,” said Wang, who has interviewed Douyin content moderators in his research.

From Los Angeles Times

The son of the “60 Minutes” correspondent Mike Wallace, the younger Wallace established himself as a correspondent on NBC, where he was a Washington anchor of “Today” and a moderator of “Meet the Press.”

From Los Angeles Times

Beheadings, mass killings, child abuse, hate speech – all of it ends up in the inboxes of a global army of content moderators.

From BBC

The Rev. James Anguiano, moderator of the Curia and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, delivered a homily in Spanish and English.

From Los Angeles Times

He particularly decried the fact-checking that ABC’s moderators performed when he strayed from the truth.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• mediator
• referee