equitable

American  

[ek-wi-tuh-buhl] / ˈɛk wɪ tə bəl /

adjective

1. characterized by equity or fairness; just and right; fair.

   equitable treatment of all citizens.

   Synonyms:

   unprejudiced, unbiased, objective, impartial, dispassionate, just, fair, evenhanded

   Antonyms:

   prejudiced, biased, inequitable, unequitable, unjust, unfair

2. Law.

   1. pertaining to or valid in equity.

   2. pertaining to the system of equity, as distinguished from the common law.

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equitable British  

/ ˈɛkwɪtəbəl /

adjective

1. impartial or reasonable; fair; just

   an equitable decision

2. law relating to or valid in equity, as distinct from common law or statute law

3. law (formerly) recognized in a court of equity only, as claims, rights, etc

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Other Word Forms

• equitability
  noun
• equitableness
  noun
• nonequitable
  adjective
• quasi-equitable
  adjective
• equitably
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of equitable

First recorded in 1640–50; equit(y) + -able

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Explanation

Equitable distribution means everyone gets their fair share of something.If you work on a group project in class, you want an equitable share of the credit. When you look at equitable, you might think you see the word, equal, but it doesn't mean fair in the sense of exactly the same. If you worked ten hours at a lemonade stand and your friend worked five, you'd want an equitable share of the profits rather than an equal share. Equitable would take into account the amount of work you did, equal would not.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

equitable

In New Jersey, as in other states, the growth of a business during a marriage can be subject to equitable distribution even if it was founded before the marriage, unless otherwise specified in a prenup.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Your division of labor was a joint decision, and an equitable split protects the vulnerable party.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

The states asked the judge to decline Booker’s request and instead determine whether the decree is fair, reasonable, equitable and lawful.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

What’s notable is, not only did the court say that the equitable factors here didn’t support a stay, they also said the government was likely to lose on the merits.

From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026

Malcolm said, “You turned our dinner party upside down, Tandy. This chop is appropriate, fair, and equitable, and furthermore, for your penalty, you must execute this task while standing on your head.”

From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson

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Related Words

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