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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Mar. 31, 2016
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. 20, 2016
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Jul. 29, 2016
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jul. 29, 2016
VIRTUS QUALITY LARGE-CAP VALUE FUND  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading
Virtus Quality Large-Cap Value 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 81 of the fund’s prospectus and “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 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)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination July 31, 2017
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 25% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 25.00%
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block] rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock
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 indicated. 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, that the fund's operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place for the contractual period. 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 value 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. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
 
Under normal conditions, the fund invests at least 80% 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 of greater than $7 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 20 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 investments 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, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
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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 issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
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  • Value Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund will underperform when value investing is out of favor or that the fund’s investments will not appreciate in value as anticipated.
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 Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone
800-243-1574
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress
virtus.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture
The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
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 Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
​ ​
Best Quarter:
 ​ ​
Q3/2009:
 ​ ​
17.13%
 ​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
 ​ ​
Q4/2008:
 ​ ​
-19.67%
 ​ ​
Year to date (6/30/2016):​
 ​ ​
6.71%
 ​ ​

 
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/15; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Performance Table Does Reflect Sales Loads rr_PerformanceTableDoesReflectSalesLoads
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate
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.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred
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.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown
After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher
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.
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® Value Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of value-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 QUALITY LARGE-CAP VALUE FUND | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PPTAX
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 none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.44%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.44%
Less: Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.09%) [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.35% [1]
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 705
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 996
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,309
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,193
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 705
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 996
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,309
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,193
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 22.42%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 7.68%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (41.79%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 24.10%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 13.08%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 0.43%
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 11.81%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 28.61%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 12.27%
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (4.47%)
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel Year to date
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Jun. 30, 2016
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 6.71%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 17.13%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (19.67%)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (9.97%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 7.86%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.63%
VIRTUS QUALITY LARGE-CAP VALUE FUND | Class C  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PPTCX
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 0.75%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.44%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.19%
Less: Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.09%) [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 2.10% [1]
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 313
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 677
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,166
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,517
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 213
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 677
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,166
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,517
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (5.18%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 8.33%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.47%
VIRTUS QUALITY LARGE-CAP VALUE FUND | Class I  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PIPTX
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 0.75%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.44%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.19%
Less: Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.09%) [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.10% [1]
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 112
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 369
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 646
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,435
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 112
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 369
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 646
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,435
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (4.28%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 9.41%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.11%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jun. 06, 2008
VIRTUS QUALITY LARGE-CAP VALUE FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (10.07%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 7.68%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.32%
VIRTUS QUALITY LARGE-CAP VALUE FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (5.55%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 6.20%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.64%
VIRTUS QUALITY LARGE-CAP VALUE FUND | Russell 1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
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® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,expenses or taxes)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (3.83%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 11.27%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.16%
VIRTUS QUALITY LARGE-CAP VALUE FUND | Russell 1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | Class I  
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® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,expenses or taxes)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 7.84%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jun. 06, 2008
[1] The fund's investment adviser has contractually agreed to limit the fund's total operating expenses (excluding dividend and interest expenses, taxes, brokerage commissions, unusual or infrequently occurring expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses) so that such expenses do not exceed 1.35% for Class A Shares, 2.10% for Class C Shares and 1.10% for Class I Shares through July 31, 2017. Following the contractual period, the adviser may discontinue these expense reimbursement arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, the adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under these arrangements for a period of three years following the fiscal year in which such reimbursement occurred.
[2] The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.