Vocabulary in context
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Disparate
Very different; fundamentally not the same.
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Imagine This
A parrot that can add and subtract numbers is different from an ordinary parrot that just mimics other people's voices.
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Sounds Like
DIS-puh-rit
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Looks Like
Looks like the word 'separate' with the 'dis-' prefix, hinting at not being the same.
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Remember This
Disparate comes from Latin disparatus meaning 'made unequal'; it is used for things that are fundamentally different, not merely different in degree.
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Other Forms
disparitynoun
disparatelyadverb
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Connect With
diverse, distinct, dissimilar, divergent, heterogeneous
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Note
Use disparate to describe things that are clearly unlike in kind, not merely different in amount. Do not confuse with 'separate' or with 'disparate' used to mean merely different in number or degree.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The two communities have disparate cultures and traditions.
- Researchers merged data from disparate sources to compare outcomes.
Synonyms
dissimilardifferentdistinctdivergentunlike
Antonyms
similaralikeidentical
Etymology
From Latin disparatus 'made unequal', formed by dis- 'not' + paratus (prepared/ready), from parare 'to prepare' (hence to make unequal).
Mnemonic
Disparate means not in the same par (pair); think of par as equal. If two things are disparate, they are not in the same (equal) pair.
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Electic
adjectiveDerived from a broad range of sources; drawn from diverse origins; selecting from many different sources to create a varied whole.
Mendicant
nounA beggar; a person who lives by begging, often associated with religious orders that rely on alms.
Reticent
adjectiveInclined to keep one's thoughts and feelings to oneself; reserved and quiet in speech.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Diverse
adjectiveShowing a great deal of variety; made up of different kinds of people or things.
Divergent
adjectiveDivergent means tending to differ; moving apart or developing in different directions. It can describe opinions, paths, or outcomes that are not in agreement or not converging.
Heterogeneous
adjectiveDescribing a mixture or group that is composed of unlike parts; not uniform or homogeneous throughout.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
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