moderate

[adj., n. mod-er-it, mod-rit; v. mod-uh-reyt] /adj., n. ˈmɒd ər ɪt, ˈmɒd rɪt; v. ˈmɒd əˌreɪt/
adjective
1.
kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense:
a moderate price.
2.
of medium quantity, extent, or amount:
a moderate income.
3.
mediocre or fair:
moderate talent.
4.
calm or mild, as of the weather.
5.
of or pertaining to moderates, as in politics or religion.
noun
6.
a person who is moderate in opinion or opposed to extreme views and actions, especially in politics or religion.
7.
(usually initial capital letter) a member of a political party advocating moderate reform.
verb (used with object), moderated, moderating.
8.
to reduce the excessiveness of; make less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous:
to moderate the sharpness of one's words.
9.
to preside over or at (a public forum, meeting, discussion, etc.).
verb (used without object), moderated, moderating.
10.
to become less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous.
11.
to act as moderator; preside.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English moderate (adj.), moderaten (v.) < Latin moderātus (past participle of moderārī to restrain, control), equivalent to moderā- verb stem (see modest) + -tus past participle suffix
Related forms
moderately, adverb
moderateness, noun
nonmoderate, adjective, noun
nonmoderately, adverb
nonmoderateness, noun
semimoderate, adjective
semimoderately, adverb
unmoderated, adjective
unmoderating, adjective
Synonyms
1. reasonable, temperate, judicious, just, cool, steady, calm. Moderate, temperate, judicious, reasonable all stress the avoidance of excess—emotional, physical, intellectual, or otherwise. Moderate implies response or behavior that is by nature not excessive: a moderate drinker, a moderate amount of assistance. Temperate, interchangeable with moderate in some general uses, usually stresses the idea of caution, control, or self-restraint: a surprisingly temperate response to the angry challenge. Judicious emphasizes prudence and the exercise of careful judgment: a judicious balance between freedom and restraint; judicious care to offend neither side. Reasonable suggests the imposition or adoption of limits derived from the application of reason or good sense: a reasonable price; a reasonable amount of damages allotted to each claimant. 2. average. 8. meliorate, pacify, calm, mitigate, soften, mollify, temper, qualify, appease, abate, lessen, diminish. See allay.
Antonyms
5, 6. radical.
Examples from the web for moderate
  • The result could be moderate sales.
  • Young men with moderate acne saw their condition improve after following a low-glycemic diet.
  • I've now figured out how to moderate it more.
  • He keeps a moderate pace of reading with a good voice for inflection.
  • For improving overall health, moderate exercise appears to be sufficient.
  • Boudaa, a respected scholar and orator, had the reputation of being a moderate nationalist.
  • If you moderate it (but who has time), it works well.
  • Hikes range from easy or moderate to more strenuous, depending on your interest and ability.
  • The climate is moderate, but the topography is rugged and the geology varied.
  • In the 1980s he became a leader of the moderate left opposition.
British Dictionary definitions for moderate

moderate

adjective (ˈmɒdərɪt; ˈmɒdrɪt)
1.
not extreme or excessive; within due or reasonable limits: moderate demands
2.
not violent; mild or temperate
3.
of average quality or extent: moderate success
noun (ˈmɒdərɪt; ˈmɒdrɪt)
4.
a person who holds moderate views, esp in politics
verb (ˈmɒdəˌreɪt)
5.
to become or cause to become less extreme or violent
6.
when intr, often foll by over. to preside over a meeting, discussion, etc
7.
(Brit & NZ) to act as an external moderator of the overall standards and marks for (some types of educational assessment)
8.
(physics) to slow down (neutrons), esp by using a moderator
9.
(transitive) to monitor (the conversations in an on-line chatroom) for bad language, inappropriate content, etc
Derived Forms
moderately, adverb
moderateness, noun
moderatism, noun
Word Origin
C14: from Latin moderātus observing moderation, from moderārī to restrain
Word Origin and History for moderate
adj.

late 14c., originally of weather and other physical conditions, from Latin moderatus "within bounds, observing moderation;" figuratively "modest, restrained," past participle of moderari "to regulate, mitigate, restrain, temper, set a measure, keep (something) within measure," related to modus "measure," from PIE *med-es-, from base *med- (see medical (adj.)). The notion is "keeping within due measure." In English, of persons from early 15c.; of opinions from 1640s; of prices from 1904. Related: Moderateness.

v.

early 15c., "to abate excessiveness;" from Latin moderatus, past participle of moderari (see moderate (adj.)). Meaning "to preside over a debate" is first attested 1570s. Related: Moderated; moderating.

n.

"one who holds moderate opinions on controversial subjects," 1794, from moderate (adj.). Related: Moderatism; -moderantism.