Equanimity Meaning
/ˌɛkwəˈnɪmɪti/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe state of being calm, stable and composed, especially under stress.
Sentence Examples
Buddhists believe in equanimity, a quality on which Christians do not focus.
Buddhists believe in equanimity, a quality Christians do not focus on.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Despite the chaos, she faced the crisis with remarkable ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The pilot maintained his ____ despite the turbulence and the engine failure.
Word Origin & History
From French équanimité, from Latin aequanimitās (“calmness, equanimity”), from aequus (“even; calm; fair”) + animus (“mind, soul”) + -itās. By surface analysis, equ- + anim(us) + -ity.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"No doubt you are right, my best of friends, there would be far less suffering amongst mankind, if men—and God knows why they are so fashioned—did not employ their imaginations so assiduously in recalling the memory of past sorrow, instead of bearing their present lot with equanimity."
— 1779, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther:
"In the very heart of the herd the din was terrific. It was almost dizzying in its effect. I paused and smiled reassuringly at Maud, for I had recovered my equanimity sooner than she."
— 1904, Jack London, chapter 30, in The Sea-Wolf (Macmillan’s Standard Library), New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC:
"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment."
— 1954, Albert Einstein, Ideas and Opinions:
"We find Hudson himself, a vision of unwavering equanimity, admitting that as a child he didn’t dare mention his acting dreams for fear they would be dismissed as “sissy stuff”."
— 2023 October 6, Ryan Gilbey, “The double life of Rock Hudson: ‘Let’s be frank, he was a horndog!’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Despite the chaos, she faced the crisis with remarkable ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The pilot maintained his ____ despite the turbulence and the engine failure.