MODERATE

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Latin moderatus, from past participle of moderare to ~; akin to Latin modus measure Date: 15th century 1. avoiding extremes of behavior or expression ; observing reasonable limits , calm , temperate , 2. tending toward the mean or average amount or dimension, having average or less than average quality ; mediocre , professing or characterized by political or social beliefs that are not extreme, limited in scope or effect, not expensive ; reasonable or low in price, of medium lightness and medium chroma, ~ly adverb ~ness noun II. verb (-ated; -ating) Date: 15th century transitive verb to lessen the intensity or extremeness of , to preside over or act as chairman of, intransitive verb to act as a moderator, to become less violent, severe, or intense , moderation noun III. noun Date: 1794 one who holds ~ views or who belongs to a group favoring a ~ course or program