likhet

Likhet is a Swedish noun that denotes the quality or state of being alike, i.e. similarity or equality. The word stems from lik, meaning "like," with the abstract-noun suffix -het. In everyday language, likhet covers both resemblance between objects and shared status or rights; the opposite is olikhet, dissimilarity.

In mathematics and logic, likhet refers to the relation of equality. It is commonly expressed with the symbol =, and the term likhetstecken is used for the equals sign. A typical assertion is "2 plus 2 är lika med 4."

In linguistics and philosophy, likhet is used to discuss likeness and analogy, including how languages or concepts resemble each other. In statistics or data analysis, mentions of likhet appear with measures of similarity between observations.

In social and political contexts, likhet relates to equality of rights and opportunities. The phrase likhet inför lagen appears in discussions about legal treatment, while broader conversations distinguish between individuals who are in practice treated the same and institutions tasked with ensuring fair treatment. While jämlikhet is a common term for justice-related equality, likhet remains a widespread, everyday expression of parity and resemblance.