- equal
- late 14c., from L. æqualis "uniform, identical, equal," from æquus "level, even, just," of unknown origin. Parallel formation egal (from O.Fr. egal) was in use late 14c.-17c. Equalitarian in reference to the doctrine that all mankind are equal is attested from 1799; equalizer "pistol" is U.S. slang, c.1900.