different between equivalence vs equilibrium

English

Etymology

From French équivalence, from Medieval Latin aequivalentia.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??kw?v?l?ns/

Noun

equivalence (countable and uncountable, plural equivalences)

1. (uncountable) The condition of being equivalent or essentially equal.
2. (countable, mathematics) An equivalence relation; ?; ~
3. (uncountable, logic) The relationship between two propositions that are either both true or both false.
4. (chemistry) The quantity of the combining power of an atom, expressed in hydrogen units; the number of hydrogen atoms can combine with, or be exchanged for; valency.
5. (mathematics) A Boolean operation that is TRUE when both input variables are TRUE or both input variables are FALSE, but otherwise FALSE; the XNOR function.
6. (geometry) A number in intersection theory. A positive-dimensional variety sometimes behaves formally as if it were a finite number of points; this number is its equivalence.
7. (translation studies) The degree to which a term or text in one language is semantically similar to its translated counterpart.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

equivalence (third-person singular simple present equivalences, present participle equivalencing, simple past and past participle equivalenced)

1. (transitive) To be equivalent or equal to; to counterbalance.
   • 1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, London: Edw. Dod & Nath. Ekins, 1650, Book I, p. 25,^[1]

     […] whether the transgression of Eve seducing, did not exceed that of Adam seduced, or whether the resistibility of his reason did not equivalence the facility of her seduction, we shall referre it unto the Schoolman.

   • 1647, Tobie Matthew, A Missive of Consolation sent from Flanders, to the Catholikes of England, Louvain, p. 53,^[2]

     […] every one being struck with wonder at the vertue and patience of the sufferers, began to think that worthy the enquiring into, which men thought so much better worth then their lives; and these reflections converted more then the best verball expressions, to such auditors, as thought life not to be equivalenced by any compensation.

English

Alternative forms

• æquilibrium (dated)

Etymology

From Latin aequil?brium, from equal + l?bra (“balance”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?kw??l?b???m/, /i?kw??l?b???m/

Noun

equilibrium (plural equilibriums or equilibria)

1. The condition of a system in which competing influences are balanced, resulting in no net change.
   • 1999, The Matrix, Agent Smith speech

     Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus.

2. Mental balance.
3. (chemistry) The state of a reaction in which the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are the same.
4. (physics) The state of a body at rest or in uniform motion in which the resultant of all forces on it is zero.

Synonyms

• (a condition of a system in which competing influences are balanced): balance, stability
• (mental balance): sanity

Antonyms

• (a condition of a system in which competing influences are balanced): disequilibrium, imbalance, instability
• (in physics): disequilibrium, non-equilibrium
• (mental balance): insanity, instability, madness

Hypernyms

• (in physics): stasis

Hyponyms

• (in physics): heat death (thermodynamic equilibrium state of maximum entropy)

Derived terms

Related terms

• equilibrate
• equilibrize

Translations

References