Etymograph

English

inequality

Inequality comes from Latin inaequālis ‘unequal’, from aequālis ‘equal’, and ultimately from Old Latin aiquos.

  1. Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEaiquos1
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaequus1‘equal, even’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaequālis2‘equal’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEinaequālis2‘unequal’
  5. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500inaequālitās2
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400inequalité2
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inequalite2
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1881inequality2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin aequalis
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English inequality
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1881, Charles Darwin, The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms: “When we behold a wide, turf-covered expanse, we should…”.

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEaiquosWiktionary, Latin aequalis
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaequusWiktionary, Latin aequalis‘equal, even’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaequālisWiktionary, English inequality‘equal’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEinaequālisWiktionary, English inequality‘unequal’
  5. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500inaequālitāsWiktionary, English inequality
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400inequalitéWiktionary, English inequality
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inequaliteWiktionary, English inequality
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1881inequalityWiktionary, English inequality. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1881, Charles Darwin, The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms: “When we behold a wide, turf-covered expanse, we should…”

Linked words

through Old Latin aiquos

inequitable, 12 more

through Latin aequus ‘equal, even’

equity, equation, equitable, equate, 13 more

through Latin aequālis ‘equal’

equal, egalitarian, 5 more

Today it means

noun A condition or state (of social, cultural, or legal matters) that is not equal; especially, such a condition that is thereby also unfair.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “inequality”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin aequalis. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Old Latin aiquos / inequality

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