English → Latin
“moderate” in Latin
moderorto set a measure or bounds to; moderate, mitigate, allay, qualify.; to restrain; to manage, arrange, regulate, rule, guimodicusmoderate; temperate, restrained; reasonablemediusmiddle, mid, central, between, midway between, in the center; half; moderatemodestusmoderate, calm, restrained, mild; modest, reserved, discreettemperōto divide duly, qualify, temper, moderate; to combine, compound or blend properly; to rule, regulate, govern, manage, arcontineōto hold, keep, connect, contain, maintain; to hold or keep together/close; connect, surround; to keep in, enclose, boundmediocrismiddling, moderate, medium; tolerable, ordinary, normal; mediocre, indifferentpetulānspert, saucy, impudent, wanton; freakish; petulantmodusmeasure; bound, limit, end; manner (of doing or being arranged), way (of doing or being arranged), methodcoërceōto enclose on all sides, hold together; surround, encompass; to curb, restrain, tame, correct, appease; to restrain, kee
The English word moderate itself goes back to Latin modus, through moderātus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
moderate
That observes measure, moderatus (rarely): modicus (that does not exceed measure or bounds; opposed to effrenatus): medius (in the mean, not in the extreme): modestus (opposed to cupidus, petulans): temperans, temperatus (the former of persons, the latter of persons and things; opposed to libidinosus): continens (moderate in enjoyment; opposed to libidinosus); (The words are found in this connection and order.) moderatus ac temperans; temperans moderatusque continens ac temperans: very moderate in drinking, parcissimus vini: moderate in joy, temperans gaudii (both of the Silver Age): moderate exercise, exercitationes modicae: moderate in one’s wishes, paucis contentus: in a moderate manner, moderate; modeste; temperanter: to live in a moderate manner, continentem esse in omni victu cultuque.
Middling, modicus (of quantity): mediocris (of quality): moderate talents, ingenium mediocre. ☞ Medius, in this sense, is foreign to the prose of the gotden period; thus, ingenium medium, Tac., Hist., 1, 49, 2, is what Cic. (De Orat., 2, 27, 119) expresses by ingenium mediocre; for (Pompeius) eloquentia medius in Vell., 2, 29, 3, Cic. would have said (Pompeius) eloquentia mediocri (☞ De Or., 1, 29, extr): very moderate, permediocris: in a moderate degree, mediocriter; modice.
moderate v.
To restrain, repress, make temperate, moderari (with the dative, to set a measure and limit, to observe due measure; with the accusative, to keep in due bounds, to observe the mean): temperare (with a dative, to give a person or thing suitable activity or efficacy; with the accusative, to set anything in the right state or condition): modum or moderationem adhibere alicui rei or in aliqua re (to keep anything within proper bounds): continere, coercere (to restrain, check): to moderate one’s anger, irae moderari or temperare; iram tenere, continere (opposed to irae indulgere): to moderate one’s passions, cupiditates continere, coercere; cupiditatibus modum facere: to moderate one’s speech, orationi or linguae moderari: linguam continere; modum tenere verborum: not to be able to moderate one’s self, intemperantem esse; sui impotentem or non potentem esse; sui non compotem esse; animo suo imperare non posse: the heat is moderated by the breeze, ventorum flatu nimii temperantur calores.
To act as mediator, arbitrate, between persons, arbitri partes suscipere: esse arbitrum or disceptatorem inter aliquos: aliquorum controversiam disceptare or dirimere.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for moderate?
- The usual Latin words for “moderate” are moderor, modicus, medius; also modestus, temperō, contineō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.