moderate

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Not too much and not too little; within reasonable limits.

   He earns a moderate salary, enough to live comfortably.

2. 2
   adj

   Avoiding extreme opinions or behavior.

   She holds fairly moderate political views.

3. 3
   verb

   To make something less strong, severe, or extreme.

   He tried to moderate his tone when the students started crying.

4. 4
   verb

   To lead or control a discussion or meeting.

   A journalist moderated the debate between the candidates.

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.

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