adjective
- kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense: a moderate price.
- of medium quantity, extent, or amount: a moderate income.
- mediocre or fair: moderate talent.
- calm or mild, as of the weather.
- of or relating to moderates, as in politics or religion.
noun
- a person who is moderate in opinion or opposed to extreme views and actions, especially in politics or religion.
- (usually initial capital letter) a member of a political party advocating moderate reform.
verb (used with object), mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.
- to reduce the excessiveness of; make less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous: to moderate the sharpness of one’s words.
- to preside over or at (a public forum, meeting, discussion, etc.).
verb (used without object), mod·er·at·ed, mod·er·at·ing.
- to become less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous.
- to act as moderator; preside.
adjective
- (of an online chatroom, newsgroup, etc) not monitored for inappropriate content, time wasting, or bad language
adjective (ˈmɒdərɪt, ˈmɒdrɪt)
- not extreme or excessive; within due or reasonable limitsmoderate demands
- not violent; mild or temperate
- of average quality or extentmoderate success
noun (ˈmɒdərɪt, ˈmɒdrɪt)
- a person who holds moderate views, esp in politics
verb (ˈmɒdəˌreɪt)
- to become or cause to become less extreme or violent
- (when intr, often foll by over) to preside over a meeting, discussion, etc
- British and NZ to act as an external moderator of the overall standards and marks for (some types of educational assessment)
- physics to slow down (neutrons), esp by using a moderator
- (tr) to monitor (the conversations in an on-line chatroom) for bad language, inappropriate content, etc
adj.late 14c., originally of weather and other physical conditions, from Latin moderatus “within bounds, observing moderation;” figuratively “modest, restrained,” past participle of moderari “to regulate, mitigate, restrain, temper, set a measure, keep (something) within measure,” related to modus “measure,” from PIE *med-es-, from base *med- (see medical (adj.)). The notion is “keeping within due measure.” In English, of persons from early 15c.; of opinions from 1640s; of prices from 1904. Related: Moderateness. v.early 15c., “to abate excessiveness;” from Latin moderatus, past participle of moderari (see moderate (adj.)). Meaning “to preside over a debate” is first attested 1570s. Related: Moderated; moderating. n.“one who holds moderate opinions on controversial subjects,” 1794, from moderate (adj.). Related: Moderatism; -moderantism.