What does equinity mean?
Equinity is a rare formal noun meaning equality: the condition in which people, groups, institutions, or things are on the same level. Although its meaning is straightforward, the word is now unusual, and most speakers would choose “equality” instead. Equinity can be especially useful in elevated or historical prose when the author wishes to emphasize the principle or state of equal standing rather than the more familiar idea of equal outcomes or treatment. For example, a constitution might describe equal legal status as “equinity before the law,” while a discussion of pay could use “equality of pay” because that more precisely identifies the comparison being made. The word is attested in English from the seventeenth century and belongs to a learned vocabulary shaped by Latin. Its rarity makes it memorable, but its practical role in modern communication is limited.
nounThe state of being equal; equality.
- The state of being equal, especially between people, groups, or things; equality.
"The treaty sought to establish equinity among the member states."
"The law guarantees equinity of treatment before the tribunal."
"Her argument rests on the equinity of the two forms of mathematical expression."
The plural is grammatically possible but is rarely used.
"The court recognized the equinities established by the settlement."
A rarer, formal alternative to “equality,” equinity gives a classical sound to the idea of things standing on the same level.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of equinity
Equinity was formed in English in the seventeenth century from equin- and the suffix -ity. Its Latin connection is with aequus, meaning “equal, even, level.” The same learned root appears in words such as equinox and equilateral, while the suffix gives equinity a noun form corresponding to the idea of equality.
How equinity is actually used
Equinity is very rare in modern English and sounds formal or archaic. “Equality” is the usual word in contemporary usage.