equity

[ ek-wi-tee ]

noun

, plural eq·ui·ties.

1. the quality of being fair or impartial; fairness; impartiality:

   the equity of Solomon.

   Synonyms: justice, objectivity, justness, disinterest

   Antonyms: discrimination, bias, injustice, prejudice, partisanship, partiality, inequity

2. something that is fair and just:

   The concepts and principles of health equities and inequities are important to society as a whole.

3. the policy or practice of accounting for the differences in each individual’s starting point when pursuing a goal or achievement, and working to remove barriers to equal opportunity, as by providing support based on the unique needs of individual students or employees. Compare equality ( def 1 ).
4. Law.
   1. Also called chan·cer·y [chan, -s, uh, -ree, chahn, -]. the application of the dictates of conscience or the principles of natural justice to the settlement of controversies.
   2. Also called chan·cer·y [chan, -s, uh, -ree, chahn, -]. a system of jurisprudence or a body of doctrines and rules developed in England and followed in the U.S., serving to supplement and remedy the limitations and the inflexibility of the common law.
   3. an equitable or legally valid right or claim.
   4. equity of redemption.
5. the monetary value of a property or business beyond any amounts owed on it in mortgages, claims, liens, etc.:

   Over the years, they have carefully avoided tapping into their home equity for unnecessary expenses.

6. Informal. ownership, especially when considered as the right to share in future profits or appreciation in value.
7. the interest of the owner of common stock in a corporation.
8. (in a margin account) the excess of the market value of the securities over any indebtedness.
9. Equity. Actors' Equity Association.

equity

¹

/ ˈɛkwɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being impartial or reasonable; fairness
2. an impartial or fair act, decision, etc
3. law a system of jurisprudence founded on principles of natural justice and fair conduct. It supplements the common law and mitigates its inflexibility, as by providing a remedy where none exists at law
4. law an equitable right or claim

   equity of redemption

5. the interest of ordinary shareholders in a company
6. the market value of a debtor's property in excess of all debts to which it is liable

Equity

²

/ ˈɛkwɪtɪ /

noun

1. the actors' trade union Full nameActors' Equity Association

equity

¹

1. In real estate, the financial value of someone's property over and above the amount the person owes on mortgages . For example, if you buy a house for $100,000, paying $20,000 down and borrowing $80,000, your equity in the house is $20,000. As you pay off the principal of the loan, your equity will rise.

equity

²

1. A body of rules or customs based on general principles of fair play rather than on common law or statutory law .

Word History and Origins

Origin of equity¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English equite, equitee, equyte, from Old French equité, from Latin aequitāt-, stem of aequitās “evenness, smoothness, fairness”; equi-, -ty ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of equity¹

C14: from Old French equite, from Latin aequitās, from aequus level, equal

Example Sentences

Sir Tom, from New Cumnock in East Ayrshire, started in business selling trainers from the back of a van but eventually built a property and equity business once valued at more than £1bn.

From BBC

“And that’s why they voted for something different. … For me, it’s equity. In the neighborhoods that are primarily Latino, why are they the most underserved with city services — a.k.a. Boyle Heights? The lights are all out on First Street. There’s no street cleaning. No parking.”

From Los Angeles Times

Academic Senate Chair Steven W. Cheung said the outcome has raised myriad questions for UC — whether funding for financial aid will be slashed, fragile gains in racial and gender equity undone, clean energy and fetal stem cell research buried and access to health care lost.

From Los Angeles Times

In June, research commissioned by performing arts union Equity revealed that in real terms, overall arts funding in Wales had dropped by 30% since 2017.

From BBC

They include the closure of the Māori Health Authority, which was set up under Jacinda Ardern's Labour government to help create health equity, and reprioritising English over Māori when it comes to the official naming of government organisations, for example.

From BBC

Related Words

• capital
• investment