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Where does the word "moderate" come from? It comes from Latin moderatus, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "moderate" come from? It comes from Latin moderatus, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Moderate’s story begins in Latin: moderatus meant “kept within limits.” From 'modus', measure. It reached English by 1300s as moderate. Political 'moderates' date from the 1700s. Today, moderate means average in amount; not extreme.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient moderatus "kept within limits", from 'modus', measure.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s moderate "restrained", political 'moderates' date from the 1700s.