a. and sb. Astr. Obs. exc. Hist. 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. sb. = Equant circle.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. ii. III. 324. Excentricke, concentricke, circles æquant &c. are absurd and ridiculous. 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 ‘center of the equant.’
1837. Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sc., III. iv. § 7 I. 221. About another point, the equant.
