What does equalisation mean?
Equalisation is the act or process of making things equal, level, or uniform — whether those things are sounds, incomes, opportunities, or signals. The word appears most often in technical and formal registers. In audio engineering, equalisation refers to adjusting the relative strength of different frequency components in a sound signal, a practice so routine that it is universally abbreviated to 'EQ'. In economics and public policy, fiscal equalisation describes mechanisms by which governments redistribute resources so that regions or citizens enjoy more comparable levels of service or income. In communications engineering, it denotes methods that correct distortion in transmitted signals. Derived ultimately from the Latin 'aequalis', meaning 'level' or 'uniform', the word carries a neutral, procedural connotation rather than an emotional one. Its usefulness lies precisely in this neutrality: it names a process of correction or adjustment without implying blame, celebration, or judgment about what is being made equal.
The act or process of making things equal, level, or uniform.
"The committee proposed the equalisation of school funding across all districts."
Often used in compound phrases specifying the domain, e.g. 'fiscal equalisation', 'graphic equalisation'.
In audio engineering, the adjustment of the balance between frequency components within an electronic or acoustic signal.
"A touch of high-frequency equalisation made the vocals sit better in the mix."
Almost always abbreviated to 'EQ' in professional and consumer audio settings.
The plural is rare because the word is usually uncountable when referring to a general process. Plural forms appear mainly in technical writing referring to multiple distinct instances or types of equalisation.
"The paper compared several equalisations applied at different stages of the transmission chain."
That little 'EQ' button on your music app? It's short for equalisation — the same word economists use for balancing budgets and mathematicians use for solving equations.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of equalisation
Equalisation derives from the verb 'equalise', which was formed in English from the adjective 'equal', itself borrowed from Latin 'aequalis' ('level, even, uniform'), a derivative of 'aequus' ('even, fair, equal'). The suffix '-isation' marks the noun as denoting a process, following a pattern common in learned Latinate vocabulary adopted into English from French and Latin during the early modern period. Cognates sharing this Latin root include 'equality', 'equator', 'adequate', and 'iniquity'.
Related word forms
How equalisation is actually used
Register is formal to technical; the word rarely appears in casual speech. In audio contexts it is almost always shortened to 'EQ'. The spelling 'equalisation' (with -ise) is standard in British English; American English typically uses 'equalization'.
Easily confused with equalisation
'Equalisation' is simply the British spelling of the same word, while 'equalization' with a z is the standard American spelling.
'Equalisation' refers to the process of making things equal, whereas 'equilibrium' refers to a state of balance that results from opposing forces being in balance, not necessarily equal.