Definition of EGALITARIANISM (original) (raw)
1
: a belief in human equality especially with respect to social, political, and economic affairs
2
: a social philosophy advocating the removal of inequalities among people
Did you know?
Egalitarianism comes to the English language from the French. We fashioned egalitarian from their égalitaire “egalitarian” (which comes from the Latin aequalitas “equality”), and then added our -ism to it. The word first appeared in English in the late 19th century; our current earliest citation is from 1874, in The Times of India: “Before the Revolution the officers of one regiment welcomed brother corps with champagne suppers, but egalitarianism has brought us down to punch at five francs the bowl. . . ." The word has seen a subtle shift in meaning. Its earliest use was typically in reference to a belief in human equality; it has since taken on the sense “a social philosophy that advocates the removal of inequality among people.”
Examples of egalitarianism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The sameness of the facades was a reflection of the movement’s aspirations of egalitarianism. —
Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 14 Jan. 2025 Just as the point of state neutrality is personal non-neutrality, the point of political egalitarianism is interpersonal disproportion. —Becca Rothfeld, Harper's Magazine, 2 Mar. 2024 Democrats overwhelmingly favor gender egalitarianism while Republicans want more traditional gender hierarchies. —Constance Grady, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 Carter's commitment to egalitarianism on matters of race and gender manifested itself in his approach to federal court nominations. —David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for egalitarianism 
Word History
First Known Use
1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of egalitarianism was in 1874
Dictionary Entries Near egalitarianism
Cite this Entry
“Egalitarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/egalitarianism. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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Last Updated: 28 Jan 2025 - Updated example sentences
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