inequity

American  

[in-ek-wi-tee] / ɪnˈɛk wɪ ti /

noun

• inequities
  plural

1. lack of equity; unfairness; favoritism or bias.

2. an unfair circumstance or proceeding.

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inequity British  

/ ɪnˈɛkwɪtɪ /

noun

1. lack of equity; injustice; unfairness

2. an unjust or unfair act, sentence, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• inequities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of inequity

First recorded in 1550–60; in- ³ + equity

Compare meaning

How does inequity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• inequity vs. iniquity

Explanation

The noun inequity describes a situation that’s not fair. If you feel, for example, that your brother gets to do whatever he wants while you must follow the rules to the letter, you might rage against inequity. The prefix in- in inequity means “not” or “opposite of.” Equity, means "justice or fairness." Put it together and you get inequity: something that’s unfair or unjust. The word can be used to describe a wide range of unfair situations, such as an inequity in a school's buying new equipment for the football team while the field hockey team continues to wear uniforms from 1981.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inequity inequities

Familiar—that is to say cliched—accounts of bad men, power games and gender inequity sometimes make “Good Company” tough going.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

But the more open you are with each other, the more you can, in theory, combat inequity.

From MarketWatch ● May 20, 2026

A new law, which came into force in December, aims to correct that historical inequity, by allowing not just the children of Canadians to claim citizenship, but anyone who can prove an ancestral tie.

From BBC ● May 1, 2026

Despite years of industry leaders vocalizing a need for greater diversity in executive suites and decision-making roles, and the chronic inequity remaining a punchline for award show jokes, the climate has changed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 1, 2026

They also appear to have increased inequity, creating a chasm between those who have figured out how to trade and those who have not.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

In other words, AI is unable to treat evidence — or people — equally with context and knowledge of how that evidence relates to the inequities built into museums and image archives themselves.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026

The impact of higher gas prices fell hardest on lower-income Americans, threatening to further exacerbate inequities among income groups.

From Barron's ● May 6, 2026

A genuine recommitment to the rule of law must confront these systemic inequities — not merely the excesses of a single administration.

From Salon ● Feb. 26, 2026

“Opening up private markets will resolve one of the greatest longstanding inequities in capital markets today,” Chief Executive Vlad Tenev said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026

The Hotel-Dieu dining room is big and somber and full of people talking about U-boats off Gibraltar and the inequities of currency exchange and four-stroke marine diesel engines.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Related Words

• injustice
• unfairness