gelijke

Gelijke is a Dutch adjective meaning equal or similar. It is used to express sameness in quantity, status, value, or quality and appears in many phrases related to fairness, law, and social policy. Common examples include gelijke behandeling (equal treatment), gelijke kansen (equal opportunities), gelijke rechten (equal rights), and gelijke beloning (equal pay). The noun gelijkheid denotes the concept of equality, often in social, political, or legal contexts.

In grammar, gelijke is the attributive form of gelijk used before a noun, especially before plural nouns or definite noun phrases, as in de gelijke kansen or de gelijke behandeling. In predicative position, the base form gelijk is used: De kansen zijn gelijk. The word derives from Old Dutch gelîc and is cognate with English equal and German gleich.

In law and politics, gelijkheid underpins anti-discrimination provisions in Dutch and European Union law and is a central theme in debates about social welfare, education, and access to opportunities. The term also appears in constitutional and statutory language describing equal protection of rights and equality before the law. Related concepts include gelijkheidsbeginsel (the principle of equality) and gelykende termen such as gelijke behandeling and gelijke kansen.

See also: gelijkheid; gelijke behandeling; gelijke kansen; gelijke rechten; gelijkheidsbeginsel.