Inequity means unfairness — an inequity in funding. Iniquity means gross wickedness or immorality — a den of iniquity. Inequity is a structural complaint; iniquity is a moral condemnation, and considerably stronger.
The core difference
Unfairness and wickedness, one letter apart and very different in force.
- inequity — unfairness, unequal treatment: health inequities.
- iniquity — gross wickedness: a den of iniquity.
The roots
Inequity is in- plus equity, fairness — literally not-fair. Iniquity is from Latin iniquus, unjust or uneven, and arrived through religious usage carrying a much heavier moral charge. So they descend from the same idea and separated in severity.
The related words
Inequality is the more common word for unequal distribution. Inequity specifically implies that the inequality is unjust, which is a stronger claim — inequality can be neutral, inequity cannot.
Frequently asked questions
Which word means wickedness?
Iniquity — as in a den of iniquity. Inequity means unfairness.
What is the difference between inequality and inequity?
Inequality describes unequal distribution neutrally; inequity claims that inequality is unjust.
Are the words related?
Both trace to Latin roots about unevenness, and separated in severity — one structural, one moral.