Librate
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A piece of land having a value of one pound per year. historical
- 1 To oscillate (like the beam of a balance). intransitive
"The currently observed orbital resonances at the 2:1 mean motion commensurabilities involving Io-Europa and Europa-Ganymede are such that the resonance variables #92;theta#95;1#61;#92;lambda#95;1-2#92;lambda#95;2#43;#92;omega#95;1 and #92;theta#95;3#61;#92;lambda#95;2-2#92;lambda#95;3#43;#92;omega#95;2 librate about 0° and #92;theta#95;2#61;#92;lambda#95;1-2#92;lambda#95;2#43;#92;omega#95;2 librates about 180°, all with small amplitude."
- 2 vibrate before coming to a total rest wordnet
- 3 To be poised; to balance oneself. intransitive
"Her playful Sea-horse […] His watery way with waving volutes wins, / Or listening librates on unmoving fins."
- 4 determine the weight of wordnet
- 5 To place in a balance; to weigh. obsolete, transitive
Example
More examples"The currently observed orbital resonances at the 2:1 mean motion commensurabilities involving Io-Europa and Europa-Ganymede are such that the resonance variables #92;theta#95;1#61;#92;lambda#95;1-2#92;lambda#95;2#43;#92;omega#95;1 and #92;theta#95;3#61;#92;lambda#95;2-2#92;lambda#95;3#43;#92;omega#95;2 librate about 0° and #92;theta#95;2#61;#92;lambda#95;1-2#92;lambda#95;2#43;#92;omega#95;2 librates about 180°, all with small amplitude."
Etymology
First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin lībrātus, perfect passive participle of lībrō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from lībra (“a balance”).
From Medieval Latin lībrāta, from Latin lībra (“pound”).
More for "librate"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.