equality Hear it!

equality Definition

equal·ity (ē kwôl′ə tē, -kwäl′-; -i-)

noun pl. -·ties

the condition of being equal, esp. of having the same political, social, and economic rights

Etymology: ME equalite < OFr equalité < L aequalitas

equality Synonyms

equality

n.

balance, parity, uniformity, sameness, likeness, identity, equivalence, correspondence, parallelism, evenness, equalization, equation, equilibrium, symmetry, impartiality, fairness, fair play, justice, equitableness, equity, egalitarianism, brotherhood, civil rights, state of being equal, identical value, lack of distinction, equal opportunity, six of one and half a dozen of the other*, a fair shake*, level playing field*.

Antonyms inequality, unfairness, disparity.

equality Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • promote: The Board expects its entire staff to promote race equality in carrying out their duties.
  • mainstreaming: Developing and delivering a strategy for mainstreaming race equality takes time.
  • achieve: Our vision is to ensure government achieves substantive equality for disabled people by 2025.
  • ensure: Finally, the Human Rights Team works to ensure equality in the field of medical care.

Adjective modifier

  • racial: He spent his whole life fighting for racial equality.
  • staff-related: This two-year project ( 2001-2003 ) aimed to raise awareness about managing staff-related equality and diversity issues in higher education.
  • substantive: Our vision is to ensure government achieves substantive equality for disabled people by 2025.
  • sovereign: For China and Japan, recognition of their sovereign equality by other states became a symbol of having arrived.
  • sexual: The fight for full sexual equality is far from won.

Modifies a noun

  • strand: The EOC therefore supported the concept of one integrated European body covering all equality strands.
  • legislation: Gender EU gender equality legislation has traditionally addressed the labor market.
  • impact: The aim of this site is to give policy-makers a step-by-step guide to carrying out a race equality impact assessment.
  • agenda: Our new legislative program will also further advance our equality agenda.

Noun used with modifier

  • gender: Gender equality ensures that these differences are valued equally.
  • race: The race equality policy needs to be linked to an action plan.
  • disability: Toward the end of the project, a disability equality training day was held at one of the forum meetings.
  • lgbt: I know there's a vocal and well-funded right wing out there, trying to undermine LGBT equality.

Preposition: in

  • workplace: And the DTI has a useful series of guidance and best practice tips for small firms on ensuring equality in the workplace.

Preposition: of

  • opportunity: They can raise any issue related to equality of opportunities.
  • vote: In the case of an equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
equality Quotes

The men of culture are the true apostles of equality.

—Arnold, Matthew

L'amour de la de¤  mocratie est celui de l'e¤  galite¤  . Love of democracy is love of equality.

—Bre'  de et de

Equality of condition is incompatible with civilization, and is found only to exist in those communities that are but slightly removed from the savage state. In practice, it can only mean a common misery.

—Cooper,James Fenimore

Equality of opportunity does not mean equality of responsibility.

—Kennedy,John F(itzgerald)

   Equality would be a heaven, if we could attain it.

—Trollope, Anthony

La premie'  re e¤  galite¤  , c'est l'e¤  quite¤  . The first equality is equity.

—Hugo,Victor Marie

Si l'on recherche en quoi consiste pre¤  cise¤  ment le plus grand bien de tous, qui doit e"  tre le fin de tout syste'  me de le¤  gislation, on trouvera qu'il se re¤  duit a'   ces deux objets principaux, la liberte¤   et l'e¤  galite¤  . If we enquire wherein lies precisely the greatest good of all, which ought to be the goal of every system of law, we shall find that it comes down to two main objects, freedom and equality.

—Rousseau,JeanJacques

It is better that some should be unhappy than that none should be happy, which would be the case in a general state of equality.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

Mr Sammler with his screwy visions! He saw the increasing triumph of EnlightenmentöLiberty, Equality, Adultery!

—Bellow, Saul

At its birth, the republic gave voice to three wordsöLiberty,Equality,Fraternity! If Europeiswiseand just, each of those words signifies Peace.

—Lamartine, Alphonse Marie Louis de

La majestueuse e¤  galite¤   des lois, qui interdit au riche comme au pauvre de coucher sous les ponts, de mendier dans les rues et de voler du pain. The majestic equality of laws forbids the rich as well as the poor tosleep under bridges, to beg inthestreets and to steal bread.

—Thibault

A backlash against women's rights is nothing new. Indeed, it's a recurring phenomenon: it returns every time women begin to make some headway towards equality, a seemingly inevitable early frost to the brief flowerings of feminism.

—Faludi, Susan

   There will never be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and to elect lawmakers.

—Anthony, Susan B(rownell)

Idiots are always in favour of inequality of income (their only chance of eminence), and the really great in favour of equality.

—Shaw, George Bernard