equity

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Fairness, impartiality, or justice as determined in light of "natural law" or "natural right".

   Sufficeth what they in their graue wiſedoomes ſhall proſcribe, I in no ſorte will ſeeke to acquite, nor preſumptuouſly attempte to diſpute againſt the equity of their iudgementes, but humble and proſtrate appeale to their mercies.

2. 2
   noun

   Various related senses originating with the Court of Chancery in late Medieval England

   1800, Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon in Mayor, &c. of Southampton v. Graves (1800), 8 T. R. 592. A Court of equity knows its own province.

3. 3
   noun

   Various senses related to net value

   I have a lot of equity in my house.

4. 4
   noun

   Equality

   What steps the Government are taking to help ensure equity of opportunity for people from low-income families.

5. 5
   noun

   conformity with rules or standards

6. 6
   noun

   the ownership interest of shareholders in a corporation

7. 7
   noun

   the difference between the market value of a property and the claims held against it

Etymology

From Middle English equitee, equytee, from Old French equité, from Latin aequitās (“uniformity; impartiality; fairness”).