# equitable

/ˈɛkwətəbəɫ/ (US) · /ˈɛkwɪtəbəl/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. fair and impartial

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

treating everyone in a fair and equal way.

For teachers: characterized by fairness and impartiality; ensuring that all parties receive what is just.

- The company promised an equitable distribution of profits among all its employees.
- The mediator worked tirelessly to ensure an equitable settlement that addressed the grievances of both the workers and the management.

### 2. legal equity

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

relating to a specific part of the law that focuses on fairness rather than just strict rules.

For teachers: pertaining to the system of equity in law, which supplements statutory law to provide justice where strict legal rules might be too harsh.

- The judge looked for an equitable remedy because the standard law was too strict.
- The claimant sought an equitable injunction to prevent the developer from destroying the historic landmark before the trial began.

Usage: In legal contexts, this often refers to 'Equity' as a distinct body of law from 'Common Law'.

## Examples

- The manager worked hard to create an equitable schedule for the team.
- The new policy aims for an equitable distribution of resources across both wealthy and low-income school districts.
- Legal scholars argue that an equitable settlement must consider the historical disadvantages faced by the plaintiffs rather than merely applying a uniform mathematical formula to the damages.

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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.