equant, a. and n. Astr. Obs. exc. Hist.
(ˈiːkwənt)
Also 7 æquant.
[ad. L. æquant-em, pr. pple. of æquā-re to make equal, f. æquus equal.]
A. adj. That equalizes. equant circle [med.L. circulus æquans], a circle imagined by the ancient astronomers for the purpose of reducing the planetary movements to consistency with the hypothesis that celestial motion must be uniform in velocity. Also fig. B. n. = equant circle.
| 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. ii. iii. 324 Excentricke, concentricke, circles æquant, etc., are absurd. Ibid. iii. i. iii. iii. (1676) 267/1 Love is the circle equant of all other affections. 1796 in Hutton Math. Dict. 1834 Nat. Philos., Hist. Astron. vi. 31/1 (Usef. Knowl. Soc.) He [Ptolemy] was compelled to suppose that..the centre of the equant..revolved in a small circle round the centre of the excentric. |
¶ Erroneously used for ‘centre of the equant’.
| 1837 Whewell Hist. Induct. Sc. iii. iv. §7 I. 221 About another point, the equant. |