Keep Things Balanced With the Definition of Equanimity
If you think "equanimity" looks like it has something to do with "equal," you've guessed correctly. Both "equanimity" and "equal" are derived from "aequus," a Latin adjective meaning "level" or "equal." "Equanimity" comes from the combination of "aequus" and "animus" ("soul" or "mind") in the Latin phrase aequo animo, which means "with even mind." English speakers began using "equanimity" early in the 17th century with the now obsolete sense "fairness or justness of judgment," which was in keeping with the meaning of the Latin phrase. Equanimity quickly came to suggest keeping a cool head under any sort of pressure, not merely when presented with a problem, and eventually, it developed an extended sense for general balance and harmony.
equanimity suggests a habit of mind that is only rarely disturbed under great strain.
accepted her troubles with equanimity
composure implies the controlling of emotional or mental agitation by an effort of will or as a matter of habit.
maintaining his composure even under hostile questioning
sangfroid implies great coolness and steadiness under strain.
handled the situation with professional sangfroid
Example Sentences
Those who are doomed to become artists are seldom blessed with equanimity. They are tossed to drunken heights, only to be brought down into a sludge of headachy despair; their arrogance gives way to humiliation at the next curve of the switchback. Patrick White, Flaws in the Glass, (1981) 1983She's heading straight for us—he thought. … And his uneasiness grew by the recollection of the forty tons of dynamite in the body of the Ferndale; not the sort of cargo one thinks of with equanimity in connexion with a threatened collision. Joseph Conrad, Chance, (1913) 1924 an Olympic diver who always displays remarkable equanimity on the platform
Recent Examples on the WebPérez has the ability to maintain a positive outlook through tough times, treating everyone around him with equanimity. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 16 July 2022 Tom gracefully stepped aside and granted his brother lead status on both vocals and guitar, settling with considerable equanimity for a secondary role as an exemplary rhythm guitarist in what was now his kid brother’s band. Elizabeth Nelson, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron describes ways to practice equanimity, outlining a situation analogous to yours – sitting in heavy traffic, while people cut ahead of you. Amy Dickinson, cleveland, 12 Aug. 2022 Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron describes ways to practice equanimity, outlining a situation analogous to yours – sitting in heavy traffic, while people cut ahead of you. Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 12 Aug. 2022 Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron describes ways to practice equanimity, outlining a situation analogous to yours – sitting in heavy traffic, while people cut ahead of you. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. 2022 Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron describes ways to practice equanimity, outlining a situation analogous to yours – sitting in heavy traffic, while people cut ahead of you. Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2022 CISOs can learn from today’s yoga masters, including lessons around flexibility, strength and equanimity. Yoran Sirkis, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 Her equanimity in the face of tragedy was tested in 2019, when doctors discovered a nine-centimeter tumor in her brain.New York Times, 11 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Latin aequanimitas, from aequo animo with even mind