Having the same value, amount, function, or meaning, even if it looks different. As a noun, it means something that is equal in value or effect to something else.
From Late Latin *aequivalens* 'being of equal worth', from *aequi-* 'equal' and *valent-* 'being strong, worth'. It highlights equal strength or value, not necessarily equal appearance.
Equivalent shows that things can be 'the same' in one way and very different in another—like 0.5 and 1/2. This idea is what lets us swap units in science, trade in economics, and translate between languages. It’s the quiet engine behind the phrase 'same thing, different form'.
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