equity
Meaning
the value of a company’s shares, or a person’s share in a company
the quality of being fair and impartial
the value of a property after all debts have been paid
Structure
Usage
the company is planning to raise more capital by issuing equity.
the judge was known for his wisdom and sense of equity.
after selling the house and paying off the mortgage, they had $100,000 in equity.
Etymology
the word 'equity' originates from the latin 'aequitas', which itself derives from 'aequus', meaning 'equal, level, or fair'. this root is shared with other english words like 'equal' and 'equality', emphasizing a fundamental sense of balance and impartiality. in roman law, 'aequitas' referred to the principle of fairness used to supplement strict legal rules, a concept that directly evolved into the english legal and financial meanings. thus, the modern abstract senses of fairness in justice and the residual value in finance both stem from this core idea of balanced, proportional treatment.
Analysis
equ (from latin 'aequus', meaning 'equal, level, fair'), ity (from latin '-itas', a suffix forming abstract nouns indicating a state or condition)