Disparities
/dɪˈspærɪtiz/
Definitions
A great difference or inequality.
/dɪˈspærɪtiz/
Differences between things, typically in degree or quality.
The study found disparities in educational opportunities for students from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
💡 Simply: Imagine you and your friend both love pizza, but your friend always gets a gigantic slice and you only get a tiny one. The difference in the sizes is a disparity. It's when things aren't equal or fair.
👶 For kids: When things are very different and not the same, like when one person has a lot of toys and another person doesn't have many.
More Examples
The company is working to address pay disparities between men and women.
Efforts are underway to reduce healthcare disparities and ensure equal access to care for all.
How It's Used
"There are significant disparities in income levels across different regions."
"The report highlighted the healthcare disparities among different ethnic groups."
"Addressing health disparities requires understanding the root causes of inequality."
From Latin *dispar* ('unequal') + -ity (suffix forming nouns indicating a state or quality). The word entered English in the late 16th century.
The word 'disparities' has been used since the late 16th century and was often used in discussions related to social and economic inequality, religious differences, and differences in judgment or opinion. It gained wider usage during the Enlightenment and subsequent periods of social reform and analysis.
Memory tip
Think of 'dis' (different) and 'parity' (equality). Disparities are the *lack* of parity.