disparity

noun

dis·​par·​i·​ty di-ˈsper-ə-tē How to pronounce disparity (audio)
-ˈspa-rə-
plural disparities
: a noticeable and usually significant difference or dissimilarity
economic/income disparities
The fact is that America's colleges … have lately been exacerbating more than ameliorating the widening disparity of wealth and opportunity in American society.Andrew Delbanco
… in no other composer is the disparity between the man and his work so immense. Bach's life is considered stupefyingly ordinary, but his music is divine …Edward Rothstein

Did you know?

Disparity contains the Latin dis, meaning "apart" or "non-", so a disparity is a kind of "nonequality". The word is often used to describe a social or economic condition that's considered unfairly unequal: a racial disparity in hiring, a health disparity between the rich and the poor, an income disparity between men and women, and so on. Its adjective, disparate (accented on the first syllable), is often used to emphasize strong differences.

Examples of disparity in a Sentence

an enormous disparity in the lives of the rich and the poor in that country
Recent Examples on the Web Now, Officer Willis’ department in this town of 30,000 people about an hour’s drive outside Atlanta is at the front of that debate – experimenting with how new policies aimed at addressing race and class disparities can dovetail to produce a more effective force. Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2024 According to data from the FT, the disparity between departures and new hires has been particularly stark in the last few months as threats of industrial action spiked. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 29 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for disparity 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disparity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French disparité, borrowed from Late Latin disparitāt-, disparitās, from Latin dispar-, dispār "unequal, different" (from dis- dis- + par-, pār "matching, equal," of uncertain origin) + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disparity was in 1571

Dictionary Entries Near disparity

Cite this Entry

“Disparity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disparity. Accessed 2 Jun. 2024.

Medical Definition

disparity

noun
dis·​par·​i·​ty dis-ˈpar-ət-ē How to pronounce disparity (audio)
plural disparities
: the state of being different or dissimilar (as in the sensory information received) see retinal disparity

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