tolerant

Tolerant is an adjective used to describe a person, institution, or policy that accepts or permits the existence of opinions and practices that differ from one's own. A tolerant stance respects difference without requiring agreement or endorsement. It implies patience, forbearance, and openness, while not guaranteeing assent to all ideas or actions. In political and moral philosophy, tolerance is often discussed as a virtue supporting pluralism and civil discourse, though some critics warn that excessive tolerance can enable wrongdoing.

In science and medicine, tolerant has specific technical senses. Ecological tolerance is the range of environmental conditions an organism can withstand. Immunological tolerance is a state in which the immune system does not react against certain antigens, including self-antigens or transplanted tissue. Pharmacological tolerance occurs when repeated exposure to a drug diminishes its effect, leading to higher doses for the same response.

As a noun, tolerance refers to either the capacity to endure differences or the permissible limit of variation in a measurement or specification. In engineering and manufacturing, a tolerance defines acceptable dimensional deviation. In social usage, tolerance denotes acceptance and coexistence of diverse beliefs and lifestyles within a community.

Etymology: tolerant derives from Latin tolerare, to bear or endure. The term has evolved to cover both interpersonal attitudes and technical concepts related to endurance and permissible limits.