disparity

[dih-spar-i-tee]

See more synonyms for disparity on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural dis·par·i·ties.

lack of similarity or equality; inequality; difference: a disparity in age; disparity in rank.

Origin of disparity

1545–55; < Middle French desparite < Late Latin disparitās; see dis-¹, parity¹

Related formsnon·dis·par·i·ty, noun, plural non·dis·par·i·ties.

Synonym study

See difference.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for disparity

Contemporary Examples

Even in the medieval era this disparity made Christians uncomfortable.
Oops! Jesus’ Last Steps Are in the Wrong Place
Candida Moss
January 6, 2015
Even Congress passed a law reducing the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences.
Why Isn’t Prison Justice on the Ballot This Tuesday?
Inimai Chettiar, Abigail Finkelman
November 1, 2014
The disparity has left some dealers convinced that maps Smiley stole now hang on the walls of private collectors around the world.
The Million-Dollar Map Thief
Nick Romeo
July 30, 2014
And even if that was true, it wouldn't vindicate a disparity that plainly affected her and presumably other women at the paper.
The Hypocrisy Behind The New York Times’s Abrupt Decapitation of Jill Abramson
Robert Shrum
May 18, 2014
As the assemblies multiply and spread, the disparity between communities has thrown up a series of issues.
Godless Church Services for Atheists Go Global
Nico Hines
May 4, 2014

Historical Examples

They see the disparity of wealth and poverty, and their hearts are torn with anger and with pity.
The Eternal City
Hall Caine
And the Eumenides there lying express pictorially this disparity.
Essays, Second Series
Ralph Waldo Emerson
One main cause of this disparity is the smallness of the inns here.
Glances at Europe
Horace Greeley
But this disparity in their fortunes which had frightened him before now had no fears for him.
Trent's Trust and Other Stories
Bret Harte
Taking no account of the Cherub, the disparity of force is sufficiently obvious.
Admiral Farragut
A. T. Mahan

British Dictionary definitions for disparity

disparity

noun plural -ties

inequality or difference, as in age, rank, wages, etc
dissimilarity

xref

See discrepancy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for disparity

n.

1550s, from Middle French disparité (16c.), from Late Latin disparitatem (nominative disparitas) "inequality," from dis- "not" (see dis-) + paritas "parity" (see parity). Related: Disparities.

disparity

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}disparity

Synonym study

Related Words

Examples from the Web for disparity

Contemporary Examples

Even in the medieval era this disparity made Christians uncomfortable.

Even Congress passed a law reducing the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences.

The disparity has left some dealers convinced that maps Smiley stole now hang on the walls of private collectors around the world.

And even if that was true, it wouldn't vindicate a disparity that plainly affected her and presumably other women at the paper.

As the assemblies multiply and spread, the disparity between communities has thrown up a series of issues.

Historical Examples

They see the disparity of wealth and poverty, and their hearts are torn with anger and with pity.

And the Eumenides there lying express pictorially this disparity.

One main cause of this disparity is the smallness of the inns here.

But this disparity in their fortunes which had frightened him before now had no fears for him.

Taking no account of the Cherub, the disparity of force is sufficiently obvious.

disparity

xref

Word Origin and History for disparity

n.

Origin of disparity