adéquat

Adéquat is a French adjective meaning "appropriate, suitable, well-suited." The masculine form is adéquat, the feminine form is adéquate, and the plural forms are adéquats (masculine) and adéquates (feminine). It is used to describe things that fit a purpose, meet requirements, or match a given context, rather than merely being sufficient.

Etymology and origin: Adéquat derives from Latin adequatus, the past participle of adequare, meaning "to make equal" or "to bring into conformity." The word entered French through historical layers of Latin and Old French, evolving into the modern form adéquat.

Usage and nuance: Adéquat is commonly employed in formal, technical, or precise discourse—such as engineering, policy, law, education, and professional contexts—to indicate the proper alignment between means and objectives. Examples include: un équipement adéquat (appropriate equipment), des mesures adéquates (proper measures), une réponse adéquate (an appropriate response). The feminine form adéquate is used with feminine nouns, as in une solution adéquate.

Adéquation and related terms: The corresponding noun is l’adéquation, referring to the state of being adequate or the fit between elements, or to the process of making something fit. The adverb form adéquatement is also used, meaning "adequately." Adéquat is distinct from synonyms like approprié or convenable, which can carry slightly different emphases depending on context.

In summary, adéquat designates suitability and proper fit to a given need or objective, with its feminine form crédibly used for feminine nouns and the related noun adéquation describing the overall adequacy or alignment.