English vocabulary · C1
Discrepancy
/dɪˈskrɛpənsi/ · n.
A discrepancy appears when two facts or amounts do not match.
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Example sentences
- The audit found a discrepancy in the total.
- Her story contained one major discrepancy.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- dis — apart (from Latin)
- crep — rattle (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- MISMATCH — a clear lack of a match (Two Things Differ)
- DIFFERENCE — a point that is unlike (Not The Same)
- CONFLICT — two claims cannot both fit (Facts Disagree)
Words with the same root
crep — rattle
- decrepit — old and badly worn
Lesson notes
A discrepancy appears when two facts or amounts do not match.
Related: mismatch, difference, conflict. Use discrepancy when things that should agree do not match.
The audit found a discrepancy in the total. Her story contained one major discrepancy.
From Latin. dis- means apart. crep- means rattle. Two sounds rattling apart became an image for facts that do not match.