disparate
Americanadjective
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of disparate
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin disparātus “separated,” past participle of disparāre “to separate,” from dis- dis- 1 + parāre “to make ready” ( see pare)
Explanation
The trunk of some people's cars may contain items as disparate as vintage records, a tangled garden hose, and possibly a stray hiking boot. Disparate things are very different from each other. Near synonyms for disparate are unequal and dissimilar. The adjective is derived from the Latin disparātus, from disparāre, meaning "to separate or divide," combining the prefix dis-, "apart," with parāre "to prepare." The word's modern sense of "distinct in kind" likely evolved through its association with the Latin adjective dispar, meaning "unequal" or "different."
Vocabulary lists containing disparate
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
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"A Quilt of a Country," Vocabulary from the argument
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Anthropic focused on selling its chatbot to enterprises, OpenAI built its chatbot for the mass market and invested in multiple disparate initiatives, including video generation and shopping.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
While the disparate elements that go into a given arrangement might appear jumbled on paper, one always senses the logic behind each piece.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Its investors presentation cites over 30 disparate product categories, ranging from engines, electric vehicles, weaponry, semiconductors, sporting goods, and orthopedics.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
A rapturous feeling takes over the room, as if all of the disparate identities and backgrounds came together in spiritual tune — the cluster having finally come together.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
The extract from Henrietta’s medical record in chapter I is a summary of many disparate notations.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
