disparity

noun

dis·​par·​i·​ty di-ˈsper-ə-tē 

-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.

Synonyms

• difference
• distinctiveness
• distinctness
• diversity
• contrast
• distinction

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

Within the Lionesses’ squad, there is a huge disparity in commercial and media opportunities, and since Euro 2022 brand partnerships have not materialised even for regular members of the starting XI. —Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 25 July 2025

The first six months of citations reflect racial disparities — an issue that lawmakers were concerned about when the bill was debated at the Capitol. —Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 25 July 2025

Economic and social disparities also contribute significantly to who is most affected. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025

Consequences of these disparities are high crime, inflation, poverty and double-digit unemployment in the Black community. —Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2025

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

Rhymes for disparity

• alterity
• asperity
• austerity
• celerity
• dexterity
• hilarity
• molarity
• planarity
• polarity
• posterity
• prosperity
• severity

Medical Definition

disparity

noun

dis·​par·​i·​ty dis-ˈpar-ət-ē 

plural disparities

: the state of being different or dissimilar (as in the sensory information received) see retinal disparity