e·gal·i·tar·i·an

[ih-gal-i-tair-ee-uhn]
adjective
1.
asserting, resulting from, or characterized by belief in the equality of all people, especially in political, economic, or social life.
noun
2.
a person who adheres to egalitarian beliefs.

Origin:
1880–85; alteration of equalitarian with French égal replacing equal

e·gal·i·tar·i·an·ism, noun
an·ti·e·gal·i·tar·i·an, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To egalitarian
Collins
World English Dictionary
egalitarian (ɪˌɡælɪˈtɛərɪən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  of, relating to, or upholding the doctrine of the equality of mankind and the desirability of political, social, and economic equality
 
n
2.  an adherent of egalitarian principles
 
[C19: alteration of equalitarian, through influence of French égalequal]
 
egali'tarianism
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Egalitarian has a plethora of syllables.
So is cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine. Does it mean:
a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, powerful high explosive, C3H6N6O6, used chiefly in bombs and shells.
opposition to the withdrawal of state support or recognition from an established church, esp. the Anglican Church in 19th-century England.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

egalitarian
1885, from Fr. egalitaire, from O.Fr. egalite, from L. æqualitatem "equality." The noun is 1920, from the adj.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
For retailers old and new, the Web makes the process of finding and ordering books more egalitarian.
You can accuse me of elitism, if you like, and adopt whatever egalitarian pose
  you like.
My natural tendency is to think of kids as more or less egalitarian up to a
  certain age.
What seems to be missing is the egalitarian element.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature