Coequal

Cianos

Is there any use for this word, where 'equal' won't do? The dictionary defines it as ;

co·e·qual   [koh-ee-kwuhl] Show IPA
adjective
1.
equal with another or each other in rank, ability, extent, etc.: The two top students were coequal.

noun
2.
a coequal person or thing.

Both can just be facilitated by 'equal'. Is it just superfluous or are there actually any uses where it's better?

pickarooney

Maybe it's applicable where the candidates score identically in all areas as opposed to being globally equal. For example if you were ranking two footballers, A and B:


A B
Heading 7 7
Tackling 8 8
Shooting 6 6

would be coequal whereas


A B
Heading 7 8
Tackling 8 5
Shooting 6 8


would be 'just' equal?

I've never heard the word coequal before so it's a complete guess.

Cianos

I was thinking it could be a better choice for describing the association of two equals. Comparable to 'cooperative', being more about the reference/association that accommodates the equality rather than the equality itself.

pickarooney

I have absolutely no idea what you just said but it sounds about right

MathsManiac

OED flags it as archaic or literary, and defines it thus:
-adj. equal with one another.
-n. an equal.

This seems to me to indicate that, as you first suggested, it's a word that's not really needed.

Earthhorse

Cianos wrote: »

I was thinking it could be a better choice for describing the association of two equals. Comparable to 'cooperative', being more about the reference/association that accommodates the equality rather than the equality itself.

pickarooney wrote: »

I have absolutely no idea what you just said but it sounds about right

I think what he's saying is that it's something along the lines of co-director, co-producer i.e. the two people are equal in a particular context. Why you would ever use the more general co-equal is beyond me though.