English Explanatory Dictionary

equal

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. The same in one or more respects.
  2. The same in value (status, merit, etc): having or deserving the same rights or treatment.
  3. The same in all respects that matter practically; interchangeable, fungible, or (even sometimes) identical for practical purposes.
  4. Exactly identical, having the same value.
  5. Fair, impartial.
  6. Adequate; sufficiently capable or qualified.
  7. Not variable; equable; uniform; even.
  8. Intended for voices of one kind only, either all male or all female; not mixed.
verb
  1. To be equal to, to have the same value as; to correspond to.
  2. To make equivalent to; to cause to match.
  3. To match in degree or some other quality, to match up to.
  4. To have as consequence, to amount to, to mean.
noun
  1. A person or thing of equal status to others.
  2. State of being equal; equality.

Pronunciation

/ˈiːkwəl/ /ˈiːkəl/ en-us-equal.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-equal.wav

Word forms

equal more equal most equal æqual æquall equals equaling equalling equaled equalled

Etymology

From Middle English equal, from Latin aequālis. Doublet of aequalis and egal.

Synonyms

coordinate equal even identical level on a par equivalent objective unbiased candid cold clinical detached egal equitable evenhanded fairhanded fair-minded disinterested dispassionate impartial imprejudicate indifferent indistinguishing neuter neutral nonaligned nonpartial nonpartisan nonpersonal unbigoted uninterested unpartial unpartisan unprejudiced unprepossessed fair uniform unvarying constant changeless nonchanging static stationary unaltering unchanging consistent equable even-keeled monotonous regular samely stable steady uncheckered unvaried be is entail imply

Antonyms

unequal

Related words

balanced equality

Derived words

adequal all else being equal all other things being equal all things being equal coequal comedy equals tragedy plus time equal-area equal detour point equal hour equal-interval chord equalisation equalism equalist equalize equalise equally equal marriage equalness equal-opportunity equal opportunity equal pay equal pay for equal work equal rights equal sign equal temperament equal-tempered equal time equal-to-apostles equal weight first among equals inequal in equal measure nonequal not equal sign on an equal footing on equal footing on equal terms other things being equal subequal two plus two equals five unequal unequalable
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