Well-read · Politics & society · Philosophy & belief
Egalitarian: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Egalitarian adjective. Based on the belief that all people are equal and deserve the same rights and opportunities.
How to say it
ih-gal-ih-TAIR-ee-un/ɪˌɡalɪˈtɛːrɪən/
6 syllables, stressed on the fourth (TAIR). Forms: egalitarianism.
Egalitarian in a sentence
The start-up had an egalitarian streak: the founders queued for the microwave like everyone else.
Some hunter-gatherer bands were strikingly egalitarian, sharing food and decisions equally.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- equal
- fair
- democratic
- classless
Opposite:
- elitist
- hierarchical
Where egalitarian comes from
From French égalitaire, from égal, equal.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Some hunter-gatherer bands were strikingly _____, sharing food and decisions equally.
- egalitarian
- moneyed
- contentious
Show the answer
egalitarian: Some hunter-gatherer bands were strikingly egalitarian, sharing food and decisions equally.