disparity
Americannoun
noun
-
inequality or difference, as in age, rank, wages, etc
-
dissimilarity
Synonym Usage
See difference.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of disparity
First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French desparite, from Late Latin disparitās; equivalent to dis- 1 + parity 1
Explanation
If there is a disparity between how great you think you are at tennis and how you actually play, you are probably surprised by how often you lose. Disparity is the condition of being unequal, and a disparity is a noticeable difference. Disparity usually refers to a difference that is unfair: economic disparities exist among ethnic groups, there is a disparity between what men and women earn in the same job. This noun derives from Latin dispar "unequal." The opposite of disparity is parity, the condition of being equal or the same.
Vocabulary lists containing disparity
Grade 9, List 5
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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This Week in Words: September 29 - October 5, 2018
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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.
That speaks to both sides of the economic debate, which continues to this day: corporate power and wealth disparity, both powered by the stock market.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
The families said it was only when they began getting together as a group that they had become aware of the disparity in support they had been offered.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
South Korea, one of the hottest stock markets in the world, accounts for the bulk of the disparity.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
MLB team owners, Mark Walter included, believe revenue disparity is the main reason a small-market team has not won the World Series in 11 years.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
The comparable disparity for whites in the United States is 8 percent.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
