adjective

1. within reasonable limits; avoiding excesses or extremes; temperate or restrained
2. mild; calm; gentle; not violent moderate weather
3. of average or medium quality, amount, scope, range, etc. moderate skills, moderate prices

Etymology: ME moderat < L moderatus, pp. of moderare, to keep within bounds, restrain < modus: see mode

noun

transitive verb moderated -·at′ed, moderating -·at′·ing

1. to cause to become moderate; make less extreme, violent, etc.; restrain
2. to preside over (a meeting, etc.)

intransitive verb

1. to become moderate
2. to serve as a moderator