What does equalitarianism mean?
Equalitarianism is a noun denoting the belief or doctrine that all people should be treated as equals, particularly in their social, political, and economic rights and status. It functions as a less common synonym of 'egalitarianism', the standard modern term, having been formed directly from the English adjective 'equal' plus the suffixes '-arian' and '-ism' rather than from the French-derived root found in its more popular counterpart. In practice, the word appears most often in discussions of political philosophy, social reform, and moral theory, where writers describe movements or institutions animated by a commitment to human equality. Because 'egalitarianism' dominates contemporary usage, encountering 'equalitarianism' can feel slightly formal, old-fashioned, or deliberately archaic, though it remains fully intelligible and occasionally appears in academic prose. For most purposes, 'egalitarianism' is the safer choice, while 'equalitarianism' serves as a legitimate variant for those aware of its history.
nounThe doctrine or belief that all people should be equal, especially in social, political, or economic rights and status. It is a less common variant of the word 'egalitarianism', formed with 'equal' rather than the Latin-derived 'egal'.
- The doctrine or belief that all people should have equal social, political, or economic rights and status (a variant of egalitarianism).
"Her lifelong commitment to equalitarianism shaped every policy she championed."
"The party's platform was grounded in a deep commitment to equalitarianism."
"Critics dismissed his rhetoric of equalitarianism as idealistic and impractical."
Rarely pluralized; the plural would denote distinct varieties or doctrines of equalitarianism.
"Different political traditions have produced distinct equalitarianisms over the centuries."
English speakers essentially invented 'equalitarianism' as an all-English rival to the French-flavored 'egalitarianism' — but the French one won, leaving this variant as a rare linguistic footnote.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of equalitarianism
Equalitarianism derives from the English adjective 'equal', which entered Middle English from Latin 'aequalis' ('even, level, equal'), itself from 'aequus' ('fair, even'). The word was formed by adding '-arian' and '-ism', mirroring the structure of 'egalitarianism', which came into English via French 'égalitaire' during the nineteenth century. Both terms express the same doctrine of equality, but the French-derived 'egalitarianism' became the dominant form, relegating 'equalitarianism' to the status of a recognized but uncommon variant.
Related word forms
How equalitarianism is actually used
'Equalitarianism' is considerably rarer than 'egalitarianism' and may strike readers as nonstandard or dated in formal writing. Most style-conscious writers prefer 'egalitarianism'; use 'equalitarianism' only when the variant form is deliberate.
Easily confused with equalitarianism
Egalitarianism is the standard, far more common term for the same idea, derived from French 'égal' (equal); equalitarianism is a rarer variant built on English 'equal'.