disparity

Language: en

🇺🇸 /dɪˈspɛrətiː/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    A great difference or inequality between two or more things, especially in terms of amount, quality, or status.; A lack of similarity or correspondence; a discrepancy between things that should be comparable or equal.; In optics and physiology, the difference in the retinal images of the two eyes, which provides the basis for depth perception (binocular disparity).; In statistics and data analysis, a measurable difference between groups or categories, often used to highlight inequities in health, education, or economic outcomes.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable / uncountable Plural: disparities

Collocations

economic disparityincome disparityracial disparitydisparity betweendisparity inwide disparitygrowing disparity

Derivatives

disparatedisparatelydisparateness

Synonyms

inequalitydifferencegapdiscrepancyimbalancedivergence

Antonyms

equalityparityuniformitysameness

Commonly confused

discrepancy
EN: 'Discrepancy' implies an unexpected or erroneous difference between things that should match; 'disparity' emphasizes a broader, often systemic inequality.
disparate
EN: 'Disparate' is the adjective meaning fundamentally different in kind; 'disparity' is the noun referring to the state of being unequal.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the 'i' in the third syllable: 'dis-par-i-ty'. The related adjective is 'disparate' (with an 'a'), not *'dispirate'.

💬 Examples

  1. The disparity between the rich and the poor continues to widen in many countries.

  2. There is a disparity between what the company promises and what it actually delivers.

  3. Binocular disparity is the primary cue used by the visual system to perceive depth.

  4. Racial disparities in healthcare access remain a significant public health concern.