# equality

/ɪˈkwɑɫəti/ (US) · /iːkwˈɒlɪti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/equality
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. social rights

noun · CEFR B2

the situation where everyone in a society has the same rights and opportunities.

For teachers: the principle or state of social justice where all people are treated the same regardless of race, gender, or status.

- The government is passing new laws to promote gender equality in the workplace.
- The civil rights movement fought tirelessly for racial equality, seeking to dismantle systemic barriers in education and employment.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'between' or 'of'.

### 2. math/logic

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the fact of two amounts or values being exactly the same.

For teachers: the state of being mathematically or logically identical in value, amount, or function.

- The equation shows the equality of the two sides.
- In this proof, we must first establish the equality of the two variables before proceeding to the next step of the calculation.

Usage: In technical contexts, this is often an uncountable noun.

Teaching tip: While 'equality' is common in social contexts, in math it specifically refers to the relationship between two expressions that represent the same value.

## Examples

- The new law promotes equality in the workplace.
- They campaigned for gender equality to ensure that men and women receive the same pay for doing the same job.
- Achieving true social equality requires not merely the removal of legal barriers, but a fundamental restructuring of how resources and opportunities are distributed.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.