mindmap root((比例)) proportional may apply to several closely related things that change without altering their relations: medical fees are ~ to one's income. proportionate applies to one thing that bears a reciprocal relationship to another: a punishment not at all ~ to the offence. commensurate stresses an equality between things different from but in some way dependent on each other: the salary will be ~ with experience. commensurable more strongly implies a common scale by which two quite different things can be shown to be significantly equal or proportionate: equal pay for jobs that are ~ in worth.