equable

English

WOTD – 21 July 2008

Alternative forms

• æquable (archaic)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin aequābilis, from aequō (“make level”), from aequus (“even, level”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɛk.wə.bəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

equable (comparative more equable, superlative most equable)

1. Unvarying, calm and steady; constant and uniform.
   • 1841, Charles Dickens, chapter LXXXV, in Barnaby Rudge:

     The cheerful influence of the morning seemed to have some effect, even upon his equable temper.

   • 1924, Herman Melville, chapter 18, in Billy Budd‎^[1], London: Constable & Co.:

     Turning to the prisoner, "Budd," he said, and scarce in equable tones, "Budd, if you have aught further to say for yourself, say it now."

2. (of temperature) Free from extremes of heat or cold.
   • 1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter LVII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 107:

     The indulgences of habit she would not resign, therefore held by the pleasures of the table; but the comforts of equable heat, which was particularly necessary, she denied herself much too long, and resisted warm clothing most determinately;...

3. (of emotions etc) Not easily disturbed; tranquil.

Synonyms

• (unvarying, calm and steady): constant, uniform, unvarying; see also Thesaurus:steady
• (not easily disturbed): imperturbable, steady, tranquil
• (at a constant rate): regular

Derived terms

• equability
• equableness
• equably
• inequable
• unequable

 

Related terms

• equabile

 

Translations

calm and steady

• Bulgarian: спокоен (bg) (spokoen), уравновесен (bg) (uravnovesen)
• Dutch: gelijkmatig (nl)
• Ottoman Turkish: سوی (seviy)
• Russian: ро́вный (ru) (róvnyj), равноме́рный (ru) (ravnomérnyj)

free from extremes of heat or cold

• Bulgarian: равномерен (bg) (ravnomeren), умерен (bg) (umeren)

not easily disturbed; tranquil

• Bulgarian: спокоен (bg) (spokoen)
• Russian: уравнове́шенный (ru) (uravnovéšennyj)

Middle French

Adjective

equable m or f (plural equables)

1. equable (calm; steady; constant; uniform)