“相等”在英文中 equals 的詞源為拉丁文“æqualis”(來自 aequus),意為“均勻,相同或相等”。相等符號的第一次使用,出現在威爾斯數學家 罗伯特·雷科德所撰寫的《The Whetstone of Witte》,相當於現代數學表示法的。相等符號的原始形式比現在要寬得多。在他的書中解釋了他的“Gemowe 線”的設計(意思是雙線,拉丁文gemellus):
… to auoide the tediouſe repetition of theſe woordes : is equalle to : I will ſette as I doe often in woorke vſe, a paire of paralleles, or Gemowe lines of one lengthe, thus: =, bicauſe noe .2. thynges, can be moare equalle.
… to avoid the tedious repetition of these words: "is equal to", I will set (as I do often in work use) a pair of parallels, or Gemowe lines, of one length (thus =), because no two things can be more equal.