disparate
Americanadjective
adjective
noun
Other Word 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.
It now encompasses a mashup of disparate tire shops, oil change outfits and repair centers, including franchises and company-owned stores, that maintain their local identity but benefit from being part of a synchronized national network.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
Those disparate visions — along with crucial endorsements and influxes of cash — helped the pair define clear brands and constituencies going into the primary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
The story is that in this period Scandinavia became distinct unified Christian kingdoms from a series of disparate and decentralized pagan tribes.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026
Inequities remain, but resources alone can’t explain disparate outcomes among schools serving similar children with similar budgets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
In 1904, a single image captured under a microscope provided a unifying cause for all these seemingly disparate symptoms.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
