commensurate

adjective

com·​men·​su·​rate kə-ˈmen(t)s-rət How to pronounce commensurate (audio)
-ˈmen(t)sh-;
-ˈmen(t)-sə-,
-shə-
1
: corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree : proportionate
was given a job commensurate with her abilities
2
: equal in measure or extent : coextensive
lived a life commensurate with the early years of the republic
3
commensurately adverb
commensuration noun

Did you know?

Commensurate comes from the Latin word for the act of measuring, mensūra. That noun is based on mensus, the past participle of the verb mētīrī," meaning "to determine the extent of."

Examples of commensurate in a Sentence

Because the effects of tobacco are slow—and iterative—and produce diseases that have other causes and explanations, often later in life, they seldom arouse fear commensurate with their impact. Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, (2007) 2009
The last of the string family, the double bass, is the largest of all and must be played standing. Because it is seen in jazz bands, it has recently taken on an importance more nearly commensurate with its size. Aaron Copland, What to Listen for in Music, (1957) 1988
… athletes are rewarded commensurate with their fame, not their intrinsic talent … Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 21 Dec. 1987
I find it interesting that the meanest life, the poorest existence, is attributed to God's will, but as human beings become more affluent, as their living standard and style begin to ascend the material scale, God descends the scale of responsibility at a commensurate speed. Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969
Her new position came with a commensurate level of responsibility. was given a job commensurate with her abilities and experience
Recent Examples on the Web Be prepared to pay a commensurate price for a licensed stylist. Annie Blay, Allure, 6 Mar. 2024 As a result, the average American worker must spend more time and money pursuing postsecondary education for a salary that does not rise at a commensurate rate. Preston Cooper, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The racial homeownership gap widened While wages steadily increased in 2023, there has not been a commensurate increase in household wealth. Alphonso David, Essence, 8 Feb. 2024 The state must urgently bring together all the stakeholders concerned in order to deploy an action plan commensurate with this scourge. Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 12 Dec. 2023 But less visible components of the immigration system have not seen commensurate investment. Miriam Jordan, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024 Each activity had its commensurate uniform, equipment, fundraisers, and dates to remember, and the ones that were not through school came with tuitions of varying heft. Megan Angelo, Vogue, 18 Jan. 2024 As the memo showed, Amazon sees its interests as commensurate with the region’s health — that what’s good for Amazon is good for Southern California. Jim Newton, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2024 Herzberg also notes that the true motivators are not the notions of job enhancement or job enrichment broadly, but only those that pass these litmus tests: The changes bring the job up to the level of challenge commensurate with the skill that was hired. John Rau, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commensurate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin commensuratus, from Latin com- + Late Latin mensuratus, past participle of mensurare to measure, from Latin mensura measure — more at measure

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of commensurate was in 1641

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Dictionary Entries Near commensurate

Cite this Entry

“Commensurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commensurate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

commensurate

adjective
com·​men·​su·​rate kə-ˈmen(t)s-(ə-)rət How to pronounce commensurate (audio)
-ˈmench-(ə-)rət
1
: equal in measure or extent
2
: proportional sense 1
an income commensurate with one's needs
commensurately adverb
commensuration noun

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