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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Mar. 31, 2014
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000034273
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol VET
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Jul. 28, 2014
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Jul. 29, 2014
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jul. 29, 2014
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading
Virtus Strategic Growth Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading
Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading
Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock
The tables below illustrate the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and under “Sales Charges” on page 79 of the fund’s prospectus and “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 95 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading
Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 26.00%
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block] rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock
A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions (i) within 18 months on exchanges from a Virtus non-money market fund into a Virtus money market fund; and (ii) on purchases on which a finder’s fee has been paid. The maximum deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B Shares redeemed during the first year; thereafter, it decreases 1% annually to 2% during the fourth and fifth years and to 0% after the fifth year. The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Mutual Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount $ 50,000
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading
Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicatd. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. In the case of Class B Shares, it assumes that your shares are converted to Class A Shares after eight years. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock
The fund invests in a select group of large market capitalization growth companies believed to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies the subadviser believes to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk, and to be able to grow over market cycles. Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. countries, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
Under normal conditions, the fund invests at least 65% of its assets in equity securities of large market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers large market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000​® Growth Index. Because large market capitalization companies are defined by reference to an index, the market capitalization of companies in which the fund invests may vary with market conditions. As of its reconstitution effective June 27, 2014, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 1000​® Growth Index was $1.6 billion to $560.3 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 30 to 40 securities at any given time.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading
Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund, including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
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  • Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investment in securities of foreign issuers.
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  • Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
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  • Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations or economic, political or other developments.
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  • Growth Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in growth stocks will be more volatile than investments in other types of stocks, or will perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks.
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  • Large Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the value of investments in larger companies may not rise as much as smaller companies, or that larger companies may be unable to respond quickly to competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
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  • Limited Number of Investments Risk.  The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
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  • Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney
If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading
Performance Information
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
 
The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns
The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index.
Performance One Year or Less [Text] rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess
The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone
800-243-1574
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress
virtus.com
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.

Annual Return (%)
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
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Best Quarter:
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Q2/2009:
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16.61%
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Worst Quarter:
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Q4/2008:
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-25.38%
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Year to date (6/30/2014):
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3.10%
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Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/13; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock
The Russell 1000​® Growth Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of growth-oriented stocks of the 1,000 largest companies in the Russell Universe, which comprises the 3,000 largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND | Class A
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PSTAX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00% [1]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.70%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.33%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.28%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 698
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 958
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,237
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,031
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 698
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 958
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,237
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 2,031
2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 5.03%
2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 (0.75%)
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 2.58%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 12.76%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (44.90%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 37.21%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 16.03%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (4.43%)
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 13.44%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 29.09%
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel Year to date
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Jun. 30, 2014
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 3.10%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 16.61%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (25.38%)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 21.66%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.99%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.39%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND | Class B
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PBTHX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 5.00% [2]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.70%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.33%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.03%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 606
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 837
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,093
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,166
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 206
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 637
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,093
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 2,166
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 24.16%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 16.52%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.23%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND | Class C
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol SSTFX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00% [2]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.70%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.33%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.03%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 306
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 637
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,093
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,358
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 206
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 637
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,093
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 2,358
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 28.16%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 16.52%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.22%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND | Class I
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PLXGX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.70%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.33%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.03%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 105
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 328
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 569
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,259
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 105
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 328
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 569
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,259
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 29.42%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 17.71%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.32%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 29, 2006
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class A
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 21.58%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.75%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.28%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class A
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Annual Return 1994 rr_AnnualReturn1994 0.00%
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 12.31%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 12.88%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.64%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND | Russell 1000® Growth Index
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Russell 1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 33.48%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 20.39%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.83%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND | Russell 1000® Growth Index | Class I
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Russell 1000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 8.79%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 29, 2006
[1] A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions (i) within 18 months on exchanges from a Virtus non-money market fund into a Virtus money market fund; and (ii) on purchases on which a finder's fee has been paid.
[2] The maximum deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B Shares redeemed during the first year; thereafter, it decreases 1% annually to 2% during the fourth and fifth years and to 0% after the fifth year. The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.