Equalisation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The procedure used to create uniform conditions across varied elements ensures balance and fairness among them while achieving similarity in performance levels
2. The act of adjusting different elements so that they match in value or condition
3. A method to balance differences among components by bringing them to a common standard

Etymology: "Equalisation" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "equal" plus the suffix "-isation," which turns a verb ending in "-ise" into a noun for the act or process. The adjective "equal" came into Middle English from Latin "aequalis," itself built from "aequus," meaning level, even or fair, and "equal" has kept the sense of sameness in size, value or amount that the noun still carries. The suffix does most of the work. Greek "-izein" (verbs such as "baptizein," to baptise) passed through Late Latin "-izare" and Old French "-iser" into Middle English "-isen," and the Latin "-ātio" noun ending came into English through Old French "-acion" as "-acioun." The two fused into "-isation," so "equalisation" is literally "the process of making equal."

Synonyms: equalization, balancing

Antonyms: inequality, imbalance