Word
equivalent
Phoneticsequiv·a·lent
US/ɪˈkwɪvəɫənt/
UK/ɪkwˈɪvələnt/
Definitions
01equal thing
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a person or thing that has the same value, purpose, or effect as something else.
n. a person or thing that is equal to or corresponds with another in value, amount, function, or meaning.
“The price of the car is the equivalent of a whole year's salary.”
“In many ways, the local council is the administrative equivalent of a small parliament, managing budgets and public services for the entire region.”
Synonyms
02equal in value
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. having the same amount, value, or importance as something else.
adj. equal in value, measure, force, effect, or significance.
日本語:等しい※
“Eight kilometres is roughly equivalent to five miles.”
“The company offered a compensation package equivalent to six months of the employee's base salary.”
Usage
often followed by the preposition 'to'
Synonyms
Antonyms
03mathematics/logic
C1 · Advanced Mathematics Technical · Academic
adj. describing two things that mean the same thing or result in the same value in math or logic.
adj. relating to sets with a one-to-one correspondence or logical statements that are true under the same conditions.
日本語:等しい※
“In this equation, the two expressions are equivalent.”
“The professor demonstrated that the two logical propositions were equivalent, meaning that if one is true, the other must also be true.”
Synonyms
04chemistry
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical
n. the specific amount of a substance that reacts with a fixed amount of another substance.
n. the mass of a given substance which will combine with or displace a fixed quantity of another substance.
“The student calculated the chemical equivalent of the acid used in the experiment.”
“Determining the electrochemical equivalent is essential for predicting the mass of a substance liberated during electrolysis.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “equivalent” in context.
Adjective
01. approximately equivalent
“One mile is approximately equivalent to 1.6 kilometers.”
adv + adj
02. roughly equivalent
“The two companies are roughly equivalent in size and market value.”
adv + adj
03. equivalent in size
Real-World Examples
“By the end of July an estimated 1.2 million South Korean personal investor accounts had faced margin calls, equivalent to about one in every 30 working-age adults in the country.” “Between April 2025 and March 2026, 15,155 people freed from prison had no housing – equivalent to 300 people every week and an 18% increase on the previous year.” Etymology
From Latin aequivalentem, accusative singular of aequivalēns, present active participle of aequivaleō (“I am equivalent, have equal power”). By surface analysis, equi- + -valent. Mostly displaced native Middle English efenmete (See evenmete).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/equivalent
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0