Equilibrium

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɛkwɪˈlɪbɹɪəm/

Definitions

1. A stable condition arises when competing forces are equal and counteract each other
2. The state achieved when forces or factors are in perfect balance, leading to harmony
3. A state where different forces or influences balance each other out to maintain stability ; a calm and steady state of mind or feelings

Etymology: The word's core is a simple pairing: Latin "aequus" meant "equal" and "lībra" meant "balance" or "scales," the same "lb" abbreviation for pounds that still appears on bathroom scales today. Joined together, "aequilībrium" described a state in which two weighing pans hang level, with neither side outweighing the other. English borrowed the word directly from Latin, so the image of a pair of scales sits at its heart. The physical sense of evenly matched weights gradually widened to cover any situation where opposing forces cancel out, whether in a body, an economy, or a chemical reaction.

Synonyms: balance, stability, equanimity, harmony, poise

Antonyms: instability, imbalance, unevenness, disproportion, turmoil