egalitarian
ih-gal-uh-TAIR-ee-un
/iˌɡæl.ɪˈteər.i.ən/
Believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.
Focuses on commitment to fundamental equality across human beings in social, political, and economic dimensions.
The story behind the word. Borrowed from French 'égalitaire', derived from 'égal' (equal), which traces back to Latin 'aequus'. It arose during political reform movements in France asserting equal civic rights for all citizens.
Word relationships
- equalitarian: Equalitarian is a rarer exact synonym for egalitarian.
- elitist: Elitist favors power and privilege for a select few, opposite to egalitarian.
Commonly confused with
- equitable: Egalitarian emphasizes equal rights and status, while equitable emphasizes fairness based on specific needs.
Word family
- egalitarianism (noun): The doctrine that all people are equal and deserve equal rights.
Collocations
- egalitarian society
- egalitarian values
- egalitarian distribution
Example sentences
- "Feminism is fundamentally an egalitarian movement seeking social justice for all gender identities." Feminist Philosophy (bell hooks, Feminism is for Everybody)
- "An egalitarian society aims to remove structural barriers that prevent equal civic participation." Political Theory
Memory hook
Egal = Equal. Egalitarian = someone who stands for equal rights. Equal rights for all.
When not to use
Do not confuse with identical outcome; it advocates for equal rights, status, and opportunity.
Fun facts
- The French national motto 'Liberté, égalité, fraternité' directly gave rise to the popular usage of 'egalité' and 'egalitarian'.
Related words
Explore more words
Equality, equitable, distributive, peer, inclusivity, inclusive
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