Egalitarian

adjective; also noun

/ɪˌɡæl.ɪˈtɛə.ri.ən/

Relating to, asserting, or characterised by the belief that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities. As a noun, a person who advocates this principle of human equality.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

A genuinely egalitarian republic cannot rest on formal political equality alone; it must actively dismantle the structural inequalities of caste, class, and gender that hollow out the promise of equal citizenship enshrined in the Constitution.

Synonyms

equalitarianequaldemocraticclasslesslevel-playingnon-discriminatory

Antonyms

elitisthierarchicalinegalitariandiscriminatory

🌱 Word Family

egalitarianism (n), egalitarians (n pl), egalitarianly (adv), equality (n), equitable (adj)

🔡 Root

French égalitaire; French égalité = equality; Latin aequalis = equal; Latin aequus = level, even

📜 Etymology

First recorded c. 1881, from French égalitaire, from égalité 'equality', ultimately from Latin aequalis 'equal', from aequus 'level, even'.

🧠 Memory Hook

Hear "EQUAL" inside "EGALitarian" (both from Latin aequalis, "equal") — an egalitarian wants everyone treated as equals.

⚖️ Polity & Constitution 📖 Seen in: Preamble of the Indian Constitution

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