English
equity
Equity comes from Old French equité, from Latin aequitās ‘uniformity’, and ultimately from Old Latin aiquos.
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEaiquos1
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaequus1‘equal, even’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaequitās2‘uniformity’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400equité2
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500equitee2
- Englishearliest quotation 1599equity2
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, Latin aequitas
- 2 Wiktionary, English equity
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1599, Thomas Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe: “Sufficeth what they in their graue wiſedoomes ſhall proſcribe,…”.
Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.
Lineage
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEaiquosWiktionary, Latin aequitas
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaequusWiktionary, Latin aequitas‘equal, even’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaequitāsWiktionary, English equity‘uniformity’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400equitéWiktionary, English equity
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500equiteeWiktionary, English equity
- Englishearliest quotation 1599equityWiktionary, English equity. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1599, Thomas Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe: “Sufficeth what they in their graue wiſedoomes ſhall proſcribe,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *aikʷos
through Old Latin aiquos
through Latin aequus ‘equal, even’
equal, equation, egalitarian, equate, 15 more
through Latin aequitās ‘uniformity’
Today it means
noun Fairness, impartiality, or justice as determined in light of "natural law" or "natural right".
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old Latin aiquos / equity