Equilibriums

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state in which opposing forces are balanced, resulting in stability
2. A condition in which various elements are in a state of mutual adjustment and equilibrium
3. The situation where all influences are evenly matched, preventing change in movement or situation

Etymology: "Equilibriums" is the plural of "equilibrium," a noun that entered English in the 1600s from Latin "aequilibrium," combining "aequus" ("equal, level") and "libra" ("balance, scale"). The same "libra" gave the modern symbol for the pound and the zodiac sign Libra, which is a clue to the image at its core: two pans of a scale held level. The plural has its own history. English usually borrowed Latin nouns in "-ium" and kept the Latin plural "-ia" for technical use, so scientists long wrote "equilibria." "Equilibriums" is the anglicized plural, formed by adding a regular English "-s," and it has been common in general writing for a long time. Both forms are accepted, with "equilibria" more typical in physics and chemistry.

Synonyms: balances, stabilities, equilibria, compositions, settlements

Antonyms: instabilities, unbalances, chaos, disorder, turbulence