species-egalitarian
|spe-cies-e-gal-i-ta-ri-an|
🇺🇸
/ˈspiːʃiːz ɪˌɡælɪˈtɛriən/
🇬🇧
/ˈspiːʃiːz ɪˌɡælɪˈtɛəriən/
equal moral standing across species
Etymology
'species-egalitarian' originates as a Modern English compound combining 'species' (from Latin 'species') and 'egalitarian' (from French 'égal' ultimately from Latin 'aequalis'), where 'species' meant 'appearance, kind' and elements behind 'egalitarian' relate to 'equal'.
'species-egalitarian' is a relatively recent coinage built from 'species' (Latin 'species' → Middle English 'spesies'/'species') and 'egalitarian' (French 'égal' → modern French 'égal' → English 'egalitarian'), combining to form a compound that expresses equality across species.
Initially, the roots referred to 'kind/appearance' (species) and 'equal' (aequalis); over time the compound came to mean 'equal moral consideration across kinds (species)' in contemporary ethical usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who advocates species-egalitarian views; someone who believes in equal moral consideration for all species.
As a species-egalitarian, she argued that factory farming is unjust regardless of the species affected.
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Adjective 1
advocating or holding the view that different biological species deserve equal moral consideration or equal moral status.
The conference included a panel of species-egalitarian philosophers arguing for equal consideration of animal and human interests.
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Last updated: 2025/11/30 01:44