Dictionary

1moderate

adjective mod·er·ate \ˈmä-d(ə-)rət\

: average in size or amount : neither too much nor too little

: neither very good nor very bad

: not expensive : not too high in price

Full Definition of MODERATE

1
a :  avoiding extremes of behavior or expression :  observing reasonable limits <a moderate drinker>
b :  calm, temperate
2
a :  tending toward the mean or average amount or dimension
b :  having average or less than average quality :  mediocre
3
:  professing or characterized by political or social beliefs that are not extreme
4
:  limited in scope or effect
5
:  not expensive :  reasonable or low in price
6
of a color :  of medium lightness and medium chroma
mod·er·ate·ly adverb
mod·er·ate·ness noun
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Origin of MODERATE

Middle English, from Latin moderatus, from past participle of moderare to moderate; akin to Latin modus measure
First Known Use: 15th century

2moderate

verb mod·er·ate \ˈmä-də-ˌrāt\

: to make (something) less harsh, strong, or severe or to become less harsh, strong, or severe

: to guide a discussion or direct a meeting that involves a group of people

mod·er·at·edmod·er·at·ing

Full Definition of MODERATE

transitive verb
1
:  to lessen the intensity or extremeness of <the sun moderated the chill>
2
:  to preside over or act as chairman of
intransitive verb
1
:  to act as a moderator
2
:  to become less violent, severe, or intense <the wind began to moderate>
mod·er·a·tion \ˌmä-də-ˈrā-shən\ noun

First Known Use of MODERATE

15th century

Rhymes with MODERATE

abdicate, abnegate, abrogate, acclimate, acerbate, acetate, activate, actuate, acylate, adsorbate, advocate, adulate, adumbrate, aggravate, aggregate, agitate, allocate, altercate, ambulate, amputate, animate, annotate, annulate, antedate, antiquate, apartheid, apostate, approbate, arbitrate, arcuate, arrogate, aspirate, auscultate, automate, aviate, bantamweight, Bering Strait, bifurcate, billingsgate, bipinnate, boilerplate, bombinate, brachiate, buffer state, cabinmate, cachinnate, calculate, calibrate, caliphate, candidate, cannulate, cantillate, capitate, captivate, carbonate, carbon-date, carinate, carload rate, castigate, catenate, cavitate, celebrate, cerebrate, chlorinate, circinate, circulate, city-state, client state, cogitate, colligate, collimate, collocate, commentate, commutate, compensate, complicate, concentrate, condensate, confiscate, conglobate, conjugate, consecrate, constellate, consternate, constipate, consummate, contemplate, copperplate, copulate, coronate, correlate, corrugate, coruscate, counterweight, crepitate, criminate, cruciate, cucullate, culminate, cultivate, cumulate, cuneate, cupulate, cuspidate, cyclamate, Davis Strait, deaerate, decimate, decollate, decorate, decussate, defalcate, defecate, deflagrate, dehydrate, delegate, demarcate, demonstrate, denigrate, Denmark Strait, depilate, deviate, deprecate, depredate, derivate, derogate, desecrate, desiccate, designate, desolate, desquamate, detonate, devastate, deviate, digitate, diplomate, discarnate, dislocate, dissertate, dissipate, distillate, divagate, dominate, double date, edentate, educate, elevate, elongate, eluate, emanate, emigrate, emirate, emulate, enervate, ephorate, escalate, estimate, estivate, excavate, exchange rate, exculpate, execrate, expiate, explicate, expurgate, exsiccate, extirpate, extricate, exudate, fabricate, fascinate, fashion plate, featherweight, fecundate, federate, fenestrate, festinate, fibrillate, first estate, flagellate, flocculate, fluctuate, fluoridate, foliate, formulate, fornicate, fourth estate, fractionate, fragmentate, fulminate, fumigate, fustigate, geminate, generate, germinate, glaciate, Golden Gate, graduate, granulate, gratulate, gravitate, heavyweight, hebetate, herniate, hesitate, hibernate, Hudson Strait, hundredweight, hyphenate, ideate, imamate, imbricate, imitate, immigrate, immolate, impetrate, implicate, imprecate, impregnate, incarnate, increate, incubate, inculcate, inculpate, incurvate, indagate, indicate, indurate, infiltrate, in-line skate, in-migrate, innervate, innovate, insensate, inspissate, instigate, insulate, interstate, intestate, intimate, intonate, intraplate, inundate, invocate, iodate, irrigate, irritate, isolate, iterate, jubilate, juniorate, lacerate, laminate, Latinate, laureate, legislate, levigate, levitate, liberate, license plate, liquidate, litigate, littermate, lubricate, macerate, machinate, magistrate, marginate, margravate, marinate, masticate, masturbate, maturate, mediate, medicate, meditate, meliorate, menstruate, microstate, micturate, middleweight, militate, mithridate, mitigate, modulate, motivate, multistate, mutilate, nation-state, nauseate, navigate, neonate, nictitate, niobate, nominate, numerate, obfuscate, objurgate, obligate, obovate, obviate, on a plate, operate, opiate, orchestrate, ordinate, oscillate, osculate, out-migrate, out-of-date, overstate, overweight, ovulate, paginate, palliate, palpitate, paperweight, patinate, peculate, penetrate, pennyweight, percolate, perennate, perforate, permeate, perpetrate, personate, police state, pollinate, populate, postulate, potentate, predicate, procreate, profligate, promulgate, propagate, prorogate, pullulate, pulmonate, punctuate, quantitate, rabbinate, radiate, real estate, recreate, re-create, reinstate, relegate, relocate, remonstrate, renovate, replicate, reprobate, resonate, retardate, retranslate, roller-skate, roseate, rubricate, ruinate, ruminate, runagate, running mate, rusticate, sagittate, salivate, sanitate, satiate, saturate, scintillate, second-rate, segregate, self-portrait, separate, sequestrate, seriate, sibilate, silver plate, simulate, sinuate, situate, speculate, spoliate, stablemate, starting gate, steady state, stimulate, stipulate, strangulate, stridulate, stylobate, subjugate, sublimate, subrogate, subulate, suffocate, sultanate, Sunda Strait, supplicate, surrogate, syncopate, syndicate, tablemate, tabulate, target date, terminate, tessellate, tête-à-tête, thirty-eight, titillate, titivate, tolerate, transmigrate, transudate, tribulate, tribunate, trifurcate, trilobate, tripinnate, triplicate, tunicate, turbinate, ulcerate, ululate, umbellate, uncinate, underrate, understate, underweight, undulate, ungulate, urinate, vaccinate, vacillate, validate, valuate, variate, vegetate, venerate, ventilate, vertebrate, vicarate, vindicate, violate, vitiate, water gate, Watergate, welfare state, welterweight

3moderate

noun mod·er·ate \ˈmä-d(ə-)rət\

: a person whose political ideas are not extreme : a person who has moderate opinions or is a member of a moderate political group

Full Definition of MODERATE

:  one who holds moderate views or who belongs to a group favoring a moderate course or program

First Known Use of MODERATE

1794
MODERATION Defined for Kids

1moderate

adjective mod·er·ate \ˈmä-də-rət\

Definition of MODERATE for Kids

1
:  neither too much nor too little <moderate heat>
2
:  neither very good nor very bad <moderate success>
3
:  not expensive :  reasonable <moderate rates>
4
:  not extreme or excessive <a moderate point of view> <a moderate eater>
mod·er·ate·ly adverb

2moderate

verb mod·er·ate \ˈmä-də-ˌrāt\
mod·er·at·edmod·er·at·ing

Definition of MODERATE for Kids

:  to make or become less extreme or severe

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