moderate
adjective
- political term
- difficulty level
- mild, of a medium amount; not excessive
verb
- act as a neutral arbiter
- bring something closer to a neutral level
noun
- difficulty level
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈmɒdəɹət/ / /ˈmɑdəɹət/ / /ˈmɒdəɹeɪt/ / /ˈmɑdəɹeɪt/
adj
Etymology: From Middle English moderat(e) (“moderate, temperate”), borrowed from Latin moderātus, perfect active participle of moderor (“to regulate, to restrain, to moderate”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from moder-, modes-, a stem appearing also in modestus (“moderate, discreet, modest”), from modus (“a measure”); see mode and modest. Doublet of moderato. Displaced native Old English ġemetlīċ (“moderate”) and metegian (“to moderate”). Cognate with French modéré.
- Not excessive; acting in moderation
“moderate language”
“a moderate Calvinist”
- more than mild, less than severe
- Mediocre
- Average priced; standard-deal
- Not violent or rigorous; temperate; mild; gentle.
“a moderate winter”
“These are called the Islands of the Blest; rains fall there seldom, and in moderate showers, but for the most part they have gentle breezes, bringing along with them soft dews”
- Having an intermediate position between liberal and conservative.
noun
Etymology: From a substantivization of the above adjective, see -ate (noun-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.
- One who holds an intermediate position between extremes, as in politics.
“While the moderates usually propose political compromise, it's often only achieved when the extremists allow them so”
“The moderates are the natural advocates of ecumenism against the fanatics of their churches.”
- One of a party in Scottish Church history dominant in the 18th century, lax in doctrine and discipline, but intolerant of evangelicalism and popular rights. It caused the secessions of 1733 and 1761, and its final resultant was the Disruption of 1843.
verb
Etymology: From Middle English moderaten (“to restrain, curb; (law) modify”), from moderat(e) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin moderātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.
- To reduce the excessiveness of (something).
“to moderate rage, action, desires, etc.”
“By its astringent Quality, it moderates the relaxing quality of warm Water.”
- To become less excessive.
“He used to be an extremist but moderated later in life.”
- To preside over (something) as a moderator.
“to moderate a synod”
- To act as a moderator; to assist in bringing to compromise.
“We need more users to volunteer to moderate the comment section of our forum.”
- To supply with a moderator (substance that decreases the speed of neutrons in a nuclear reactor and hence increases likelihood of fission).
“a graphite-moderated reactor”