unequal

C2+ Topic:Numbers & Quantity

US /ʌnˈikwəl/ UK /ʌnˈiːkwəl/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
not equal in quantity, size, or value; inadequate

The two portions were noticeably unequal.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not equal in quantity,... uneven disparate disproportionate unfair inadequate unbalanced

Opposites

equal even equivalent balanced fair

Word family

Forms unequals

Derived forms unequallyunequalness

Related forms equal equality equate

Etymology

From un- ('not') + equal, from Latin aequalis ('equal, level'), from aequus ('even, level, fair').

un- Old English aequalis Latin aequus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Numbers & Quantity Word Formation & Derivatives

# unequal

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ʌnˈikwəl
**IPA (UK):** ʌnˈiːkwəl

## Meanings
1. not equal in quantity, size, or value; inadequate

## Examples
- The two portions were noticeably unequal.

## Synonyms
- uneven
- disparate
- disproportionate
- unfair
- inadequate
- unbalanced

## Antonyms
- equal
- even
- equivalent
- balanced
- fair

## Derived Forms
- unequally
- unequalness

## Related Forms
- equal
- equality
- equate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: un-
- Root: aequalis
- Root: aequus

## Etymology
From un- ('not') + equal, from Latin aequalis ('equal, level'), from aequus ('even, level, fair').

## AI Etymology
Unequal comes from un- ('not') + equal, from Latin aequalis ('equal, level'), from aequus ('even, level, fair'). The historical chain includes Old English un-, Latin aequalis, and Latin aequus. The quoted older senses, "not", "equal, level", and "even, level, fair", supply the semantic anchors for unequal. The formation is best read as compound and borrowed: the word unequal carries its older form-history into a compact English lexical shape. In present English it is used as a adj, "not equal in quantity, size, or value; inadequate". English derivatives include unequally and unequalness; related English forms include equal, equality, and equate. The result is a adj whose etymology preserves both the older form and the later English specialization.

## Topics
- Numbers & Quantity
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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