Being the same in amount, size, value, or status as something or someone else. It can also mean being fair and treating people the same way.
From Latin *aequalis* meaning 'even, level, same', from *aequus* meaning 'level, fair, just'. The word has long carried both a mathematical and a moral sense of balance.
Equal started as a word about flatness and level surfaces—like a table that doesn’t tilt. Over time it became one of the strongest words in politics and human rights, as in 'equal rights' and 'all men are created equal'. It shows how a simple idea from geometry turned into a moral demand.
“Equal” has been central to struggles for gender equality, including voting rights, property rights, employment, and education. Claims that women were not “equal” in capacity or rationality were historically used to justify exclusion from civic and professional life.
Use “equal” precisely—distinguish between equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal outcomes, and avoid implying that formal equality alone resolves structural inequities. When discussing equality, acknowledge ongoing gender and intersectional disparities where relevant.
["equivalent (when technical)","on the same footing","with the same rights"]
Women activists, thinkers, and movements worldwide have defined and expanded the meaning of being “equal” in law, work, and family life, often against strong resistance.
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