different between similarity vs equivalence

English

Etymology

From French similarité.

Morphologically similar +? -ity

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s?m??læ??ti/
• Rhymes: -æ??ti

Noun

similarity (countable and uncountable, plural similarities)

1. Closeness of appearance to something else.
2. (philosophy) The relation of sharing properties.

   • Hardly is there a similarity detected between two or three facts, than men hasten to extend it to all.

3. (mathematics) A transformation that preserves angles and the ratios of distances

Synonyms

• resemblance

Antonyms

• difference

Related terms

Translations

See also

• likeness
• alikeness

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.