ongelijk

Ongelijk is a Dutch adjective meaning not equal or not balanced. It can describe numerical differences (two numbers are ongelijk), uneven distributions (de verdeling is ongelijk), or a general lack of equivalence between items or outcomes. In everyday language, it is often contrasted with gelijk, the opposite meaning equal.

In practice, ongelijk is used in a range of contexts. In statistics and mathematics it signals non-equality of values. In everyday speech it appears in phrases such as ongelijk verdeeld (unequally distributed) or een ongelijk speelveld (an uneven playing field). In discussions of fairness and policy, the term can refer to unequal treatment or opportunities, as in ongelijk behandeld or ongelijkheid (inequality), though the normative judgment is typically expressed with related terms rather than the adjective alone.

Etymology and related forms: ongelijk is formed from on- (a negating prefix) and gelijk (equal). The related nouns are gelijkheid (equality) and ongelijkheid (inequality). The adjective also appears in expressions that emphasize disparity, imbalance, or bias, reflecting its core sense of lacking sameness or parity.

See also: gelijk, gelijkheid, ongelijkheid, gelijke behandeling. Common examples include discussing unequal chances, uneven distributions in data, or the phrase “het is een ongelijk speelveld,” illustrating how the term is used to describe real-world disparities without prescribing moral judgment.