Balance

See also: balance and balancé

English

Etymology

Calque of Latin Libra.

Proper noun

the Balance

1. (astronomy, astrology) The constellation and zodiacal sign Libra.
   • 1668, ‘Godfridus’, The Knowledge of Things Unknown, London: G.P. for G. Sawbridge, page 20:

     Libra, or the Balance holdeth in the Navel, the Reins, and the lower parts of the Womb.

   • 1862, [Frances Rolleston], Mazzaroth, or, The Constellations: Part III, London: Rivingtons, page 7:

     The Balance shows redemption’s need;
     The Scorpion wounds He must endure;
     The Archer tells His coming sure;
     The Goat, His death in sacrifice[.]

   • 1882, Robert Brown, On a German Astronomico-astrological Manuscript, and on the Origin of the Signs of the Zodiac, London: J.B. Nichols and Sons, page 9:

     The Balance, we have been told, "marks the equality of the days and nights at the equinoxes." Possibly; but the Balance is just the one sign not truly archaic, and I think we shall find that quite another class of reasons operated in the selection of objects.

French

Balance

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.lɑ̃s/

• Audio (France (Toulouse)):

  (file)

Proper noun

Balance f

1. Libra (constellation)
2. (astrology) Libra (star sign)

See also

Zodiac signs in French (layout · text)
Bélier	Taureau	Gémeaux	Cancer
Lion	Vierge	Balance	Scorpion
Sagittaire	Capricorne	Verseau	Poissons

Anagrams

• bancale

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French balance.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈlɑ̃ːs/

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Noun

Balance f (genitive Balance, plural Balancen)

1. balance

   Synonyms: Ausgeglichenheit, Ausgewogenheit, Gleichgewicht

Declension

Declension of Balance [feminine]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Balance	die	Balancen
genitive	einer	der	Balance	der	Balancen
dative	einer	der	Balance	den	Balancen
accusative	eine	die	Balance	die	Balancen

Derived terms

• Balanceakt
• balancieren

Further reading

• “Balance” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Balance” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Balance” in Duden online
• Balance on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de