Balancer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbæ.lən.sɚ/

Definitions

1. A tool or individual that stabilizes or equalizes different forces or components to create balance or harmony in a system or situation
2. An apparatus or person that serves to adjust and harmonize varying factors to maintain equilibrium in various scenarios
3. An object or individual that adjusts and aligns elements to ensure stability and evenness in a system

Etymology: The most useful clue is in the word's first half. "Balance" came into English from Old French "balance," which was borrowed from Vulgar Latin "*bilancia," built from "bi-" ("two") and "lanx" ("dish" or "plate"). The image is literal: a pair of pans hanging from a beam, with weights balanced against each other. The Latin root gave English both the weighing device and, eventually, the abstract sense of stability between opposing forces. The ending is much plainer. "-er" is a suffix that turns a verb or noun into a word for a person or thing that performs an action, and it reached English through Middle English "-er" from Old French "-ier," which descends from Latin "-arius." "Balancer" therefore means, quite literally, something that balances.

Synonyms: equilibrator, counterpoise, stabilizer, adjuster, scales