diversity

American  

[dih-vur-si-tee, dahy-] / dɪˈvɜr sɪ ti, daɪ- /

noun

• diversities
  plural

1. 

   the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness.

   diversity of opinion.

   Antonyms:

   similarity, sameness, resemblance

2. variety; multiformity.

   Synonyms:

   multiplicity, heterogeneity, assortment, variation, dissimilarity, disagreement, contrast

   Antonyms:

   homogeneity

3. 1. the spectrum of individual differences and the corresponding group memberships and identities that human beings have in society.

      A functioning multicultural society celebrates the diversity of its people, but diversity can also be problematic for the maintenance of a cohesive national identity.

   2. the inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation, etc..

      an initiative to increase diversity in the workplace.

4. a point of difference.

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diversity British  

/ daɪˈvɜːsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being different or varied

2. a point of difference

3. logic the relation that holds between two entities when and only when they are not identical; the property of being numerically distinct

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• diversities
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of diversity

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English diversite, from Anglo-French, from Latin dīversitās; see diverse, -ity

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Explanation

When there's diversity, there's variety. Often, this word is used for diversity of race, class, or gender. To have diversity, you need a mix of whatever you're talking about. If you like science fiction, romantic comedies, cartoons, and action movies, then you like a diversity of types of films. If you like nothing but kung fu films, then you don't like a diversity of films. No matter what kind of diversity you're talking about, there needs to be a real mix, kind of like a huge box of Crayolas.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

diversity diversities

Last year, Caltech retitled its chief diversity officer as an associate vice president for “campus climate, engagement and success.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

As part of its work to monitor visible difference representation, it has worked with the Creative Diversity Network to include visible difference as a category in its diversity data monitoring and reporting.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Fungi remain one of the least thoroughly explored groups of organisms, and researchers believe their chemical diversity could provide valuable clues about biology, medicine, and the nervous system.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026

The original event, Desai said, was set to include discussion about the role of viewpoint diversity in opinion coverage on campus.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

That is, Polynesia offers us a small slice, not the full spectrum, of the world’s human social diversity.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

He also cautions against giving into the demand of Kuki-Zos for a separate administration because "it can have ripple effects for others, who can escalate similar demands, given Manipur's overlapping cultural and ethnic diversities".

From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026

This interval, known as the Hettangian, was a time of continuing adverse conditions in the oceans, with generally low diversities among marine invertebrates, such as ammonites and bivalves.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 30, 2024

“Having this platform, and being able to be open to other diversities of music and of culture, is truly wonderful,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2023

"We wanted to give all the filmmakers and all the storytellers and the diversities of locations and tones its own kind of vocabulary," Gordon said.

From Salon ● Jan. 22, 2023

The infinite diversities of nature, with all her inequalities, are open to him; the strongest contrasts are within his range; each of his works is as rich as it is novel.

From Famous European Artists by Sarah K. Bolton

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Related Words

• diversification

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