Sweat Equity
/ˈswɛt ˌɛkwɪti/noun
A financial stake or ownership interest earned through unpaid labor, effort, or improvements rather than money.
Did you know?The phrase became especially prominent in 20th-century housing and business, where renovation labor could substitute for cash investment and create a claim to value.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sweid-
“To sweat or give off moisture; the ancient root behind English sweat.”
Old English
Old English
swǣtan
“To perspire or labor intensely; related forms also referred to sweat itself.”
Classical Latin
Latin
aequus
“Equal, level, fair, or just; the root behind equity.”
Middle English
Anglo-French / English
equité
“Fairness, impartiality, or justice, borrowed from Old French equité and Latin aequitas.”
20th Century
American English
sweat equity
“A stake in property or a business earned through personal labor instead of financial investment.”
Modern English
English
sweat equity
“The value of hands-on effort converted into ownership or increased financial value.”
Explore more surprising origins