Idiom
first among equals
Meaning
A person or position that is formally of equal rank to others in a group, but nonetheless takes a leading role within that group.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The team leader is just first among equals in our group.”
“He is first among equals when the band writes new songs together.”
“You are first among equals during our weekly project meetings.”
“Although all partners share the same authority, the senior director acts as first among equals during board meetings.”
“Even though every teacher has the same voting power, the department head often acts as first among equals when planning the new curriculum.”
“The oldest brother is first among equals, making final decisions for the family business while respecting his siblings' opinions.”
“In the small council of advisors, the chancellor functioned as first among equals, guiding the consensus while respecting the formal equality of his peers.”
Examples
simple
“The team leader is just first among equals in our group.”
“He is first among equals when the band writes new songs together.”
“You are first among equals during our weekly project meetings.”
contextual
“Although all partners share the same authority, the senior director acts as first among equals during board meetings.”
“Even though every teacher has the same voting power, the department head often acts as first among equals when planning the new curriculum.”
“The oldest brother is first among equals, making final decisions for the family business while respecting his siblings' opinions.”
complex
“In the small council of advisors, the chancellor functioned as first among equals, guiding the consensus while respecting the formal equality of his peers.”
Origin
The term is a calque of the Latin *primus inter pares*. The phrasing reflects a deliberate attempt to reconcile the practical necessity of a leader with the theoretical requirement of social or political parity.
Key words
Related idioms
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