English vocabulary · B2
Disparity
/dɪˈspær.ɪ.ti/ · n.
A clear and unfair difference between two things. One side has much more. The other has much less.
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Example sentences
- The disparity in pay made workers angry.
- A huge disparity exists between rich and poor areas.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- dis — apart (from Latin)
- par — equal (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- GAP — clear space between (Neutral & Simple)
- INEQUALITY — unfair unequal state (Systems & Structures)
- IMBALANCE — uneven spread of things (Weight & Distribution)
Words with the same root
par — equal
- compare — measure two things against each other
- parity — the state of being equal
- peer — a person at the same level
Lesson notes
Disparity. It means a clear and unfair difference between two things. One side has much more. The other has much less.
Similar words are gap, inequality, and imbalance. Use disparity when the difference is large and clearly unfair.
The disparity in pay made workers angry. A huge disparity exists between rich and poor areas.
From Latin. Dis- means apart. Par- means equal. Apart from equal — that is disparity.