When I say equality, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? For me, it’s reservations. Rather than providing seats to economically backward students, the government offers caste-based reservations. What about gender inequality and the various forms it manifests in our country? Today we’ll be learning about equality and the words that derive from it.
Equity originally meant fairness or even-handedness. Later it also came to mean an equal share. Nowadays, equity refers to shares issued by a company, for example, ‘equity prices’ or ‘equity and fixed income.’
The opposite of equity is inequity which means unfairness or injustice. Extraordinarily evil or unjust action is known as iniquitous. Wicked deeds make a person iniquitous.
Joker: An iniquitous character from the Batman series.
When a person is equivocal on the subject when asked for his opinion, he speaks in a manner that leaves his position unclear (it appears as if he supports both sides). Politicians, celebrities, influencers, etc., are often equivocal to not upset any of their bases. It may also mean a doubtful or questionable nature, as in equivocal loyalty or motives. On the other hand, speaking in unequivocal terms means to talk with ringing clarity, leaving no room for ambiguity. An unequivocal sentence cannot have multiple interpretations.
A chemical reaction between 2 hydrogen atoms and two iodine atoms attains an equilibrium state forming two Hydrogen Iodide molecules.
Equilibrium means ‘equal balance,’ and to lose one’s equilibrium, thus, is to lose one’s composure.
An Equilibrist in Maha Kumbh Mela
A tightrope walker is similarly called an equilibrist. And a person who believes in works towards or promotes equality is called egalitarian.
Tabular Summary :
| Prefix | Word | Suffix | Meaning |
| equi | ty | 1)the quality of being fair and impartial. 2)the value of the shares issued by a company. | |
| in | equi | ty | lack of fairness or justice |
| in | iqui | tous | An extraordinarily evil or unjust action |
| equi | vocal | open to more than one interpretation | |
| un | equi | vocal | to speak with ringing clarity |
| equi | librium | a state of rest or balance | |
| equi | librist | A tightrope walker | |
| egalitarian | a person who believes in works towards or promotes equality |
Crossword:
Click on the image below to solve the crossword.
