equal rights amendment
C2Formal, Political, Academic, Historical, Legal
Definition
Meaning
A specific proposal to amend a constitution, most famously the United States Constitution, to explicitly guarantee equal rights regardless of sex.
Often refers specifically to the failed 1972 U.S. Constitutional amendment proposal (ERA). Can also refer more generally to any proposed or enacted legislative measure with similar aims, whether at national, state, or organizational level.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Almost always capitalized when referring to the specific U.S. amendment ('Equal Rights Amendment' or 'ERA'). It functions as a proper noun in that context. In a general sense, it is a common noun.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is far more common and specific in American English due to the historical significance of the U.S. ERA. In British English, it is primarily understood as a reference to that U.S. event or used as a generic technical term for similar constitutional proposals elsewhere.
Connotations
In AmE: Highly charged with political, historical, and cultural significance from the 1970s-80s feminist movement. In BrE: Primarily a reference to U.S. politics or a technical legal term.
Frequency
Very High frequency in AmE political/historical discourse; Low to Medium frequency in BrE, except in specific contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [noun] Equal Rights Amendment was [verb: ratified/rejected].They advocated for an equal rights amendment to the [noun: constitution/charter].The debate centered on the proposed equal rights amendment.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The fight for the ERA”
- “ERA ratification battle”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in discussions of corporate diversity policies inspired by its principles.
Academic
Common in history, political science, gender studies, and constitutional law courses and papers.
Everyday
Used when discussing U.S. political history, women's rights, or current equality campaigns.
Technical
Precise term in legal and political drafting for proposed constitutional changes ensuring non-discrimination by sex.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The parliament will consider whether to equal-rights-amend the founding charter.
- Campaigners aim to equal-rights-amend the company's governing documents.
American English
- The state legislature moved to ERA-ratify the measure.
- Advocates worked to equal-rights-amend the state constitution.
adverb
British English
- The law was drafted equal-rights-consciously.
American English
- They argued ERA-forward for the proposal.
adjective
British English
- The equal-rights-amendment campaign gained momentum.
- She is an equal-rights-amendment supporter.
American English
- The ERA movement is still active.
- They published an Equal Rights Amendment analysis.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The Equal Rights Amendment is about fairness.
- People talked about the ERA long ago.
- The Equal Rights Amendment was not added to the US Constitution.
- Some states still support the old amendment idea.
- Despite failing nationally, the principles of the Equal Rights Amendment influenced many state laws.
- Ratification of the ERA required approval from three-quarters of the states.
- Scholars debate the ongoing legal implications of the technically expired yet potentially revivable Equal Rights Amendment.
- The amendment's text simply stated that 'Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.'
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
ERA: Equal Rights for All. Think of the word 'ERA' as a distinct period in history fighting for equality.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LEGAL BRIDGE to equality (constructing a path over the gap of discrimination).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'amendment' as 'исправление' (correction). Use 'поправка' (konstitutsionnaya popravka).
- The term is a fixed compound noun; avoid reversing word order or altering 'rights' to singular.
Common Mistakes
- Using lowercase for the specific U.S. 'Equal Rights Amendment'.
- Saying 'an equal right amendment' (singular 'right').
- Confusing it with the Civil Rights Act or other anti-discrimination laws.
Practice
Quiz
What was the primary goal of the U.S. Equal Rights Amendment?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
ERA stands for Equal Rights Amendment.
No, it was not ratified by the required number of states by the deadline, so it did not become part of the U.S. Constitution.
It was first introduced in Congress in 1923 and was finally passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification in 1972.
This is a complex legal question. Supporters argue that Congress can remove the original ratification deadline, while opponents argue the amendment has expired. The issue remains politically and legally contested.