equal

pronunciation

How to pronounce equal in British English: UK [ˈiːkwəl] word uk audio image

How to pronounce equal in American English: US [ˈiːkwəl] word us audio image

Noun:

a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
Verb:

be identical or equivalent to
be equal to in quality or ability
make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching
Adjective:

well matched; having the same quantity, value, or measure as another
equal in amount or value

Word Origin

equal: equal: [14] Latin aequus (a word of unknown ancestry) meant ‘level’ or ‘even’. From it was derived the adjective aequālis ‘equal’, which has provided the term for ‘equal’ in all the modern Romance languages, including French égal (source of English egalitarian [19]), Italian uguale, and Spanish igual. English, however, is the only Germanic language in which it constitutes a major borrowing.English also possesses, of course, a host of related words, including adequate [17], equanimity [17], equate [15], equation [14] equator [14] (etymologically the line of latitude that ‘equalizes’ day and night), and iniquity [14] (etymologically the equivalent of inequality), not to mention all those beginning with the prefix equi-, such as equidistant [16], equilibrium [17] (literally ‘equal balance’, from Latin lībra ‘balance’), equinox [14], equity [14], and equivalent [15].=> adequate, egalitarian, equator, equity, iniquity

equal (adj.): late 14c., "identical in amount, extent, or portion;" early 15c., "even or smooth of surface," from Latin aequalis "uniform, identical, equal," from aequus "level, even, flat; as tall as, on a level with; friendly, kind, just, fair, equitable, impartial; proportionate; calm, tranquil," which is of unknown origin. Parallel formation egal (from Old French egal) was in use late 14c.-17c. Equal rights is from 1752; by 1854, American English, in relation to men and women. Equal opportunity (adj.) in terms of hiring, etc. is recorded by 1925.

equal (v.): 1580s, "compare, liken, consider as equal" (obsolete), also "match, rival, become equal to," from equal (adj.). Related: Equaled; equaling.

vt.

adj.