Moderate
late Middle English: from Latin moderat- ‘reduced, controlled’, from the verb moderare ; related to modest.
wiktionary
From Middle English moderat, from Latin moderātus, perfect active participle of moderor(“regulate, restrain, moderate”), from moder-, modes-, a stem appearing also in modestus(“moderate, discreet, modest”), from modus(“measure”); see mode and modest. Doublet of moderato.
etymonline
moderate (adj.)
"not excessive in amount, intensity, quality, etc.," late 14c., originally of weather and other physical conditions, from Latin moderatus "within bounds, observing moderation;" figuratively "modest, restrained," past participle of moderari "to regulate, mitigate, restrain, temper, set a measure, keep (something) within measure," from PIE *med-es-, from root *med- "take appropriate measures." The notion is "keeping within due measure." In English, of persons from early 15c., of opinions from 1640s, of prices from 1670s. Related: Moderateness.
moderate (v.)
early 15c., "to abate excessiveness, reduce the intensity of;" from Latin moderatus "within bounds, observing moderation;" figuratively "modest, restrained," past participle of moderari "to regulate, mitigate, restrain, temper, set a measure, keep (something) within measure," from PIE root *med- "take appropriate measures." Intransitive sense of "become less violent, severe, rigorous, etc." is from 1670s. Meaning "to preside over a debate" is first attested 1570s. Related: Moderated; moderating.
moderate (n.)
"one who holds moderate opinions on controversial subjects, one who is opposed to extreme views or courses," 1794 (Burke), from moderate (adj.). Related: Moderatism.
