disparity

American

[dih-spar-i-tee] / dɪˈspær ɪ ti /

noun

plural

disparities

lack of similarity or equality; inequality; difference.

a disparity in age; disparity in rank.

disparity British

/ dɪˈspærɪtɪ /

noun

inequality or difference, as in age, rank, wages, etc
dissimilarity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See difference.

Other Word Forms

nondisparity noun

Etymology

Origin of disparity

First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French desparite, from Late Latin disparitās; equivalent to dis- ¹ + parity ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The players’ union does not dispute the revenue disparity.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Booker and Van Hollen’s bills could heighten that disparity, said Garrett Watson, director of policy analysis at the think tank.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

"However, the disparity is too much. The draft structure was clearly far better from an overall player standpoint. As players we did feed this back."

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

But calls to do something about the disparity are growing.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

Fryer came to wonder: is distinctive black culture a cause of the economic disparity between blacks and whites or merely a reflection of it?

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023