Word: discrepancy (noun)

Associations

"Discrepancy" means a difference or inconsistency between two or more things that should be the same or match.

• Example 1: "There is a discrepancy between the report and the actual sales numbers." Here, it means the report and the sales numbers do not agree.
• Example 2: "The accountant found a discrepancy in the financial records." This means there is a mistake or mismatch in the records.
• Example 3: "We need to resolve the discrepancy before finalizing the contract." This means fixing the difference or problem. A well-known synonym is "difference," but "discrepancy" usually implies a problem or error, not just any difference.

Substitution

Other words you can use instead of "discrepancy" include:

• inconsistency (focuses on things not matching or agreeing)
• mismatch (focuses on things not fitting together)
• difference (more general, does not always imply a problem) Using "discrepancy" suggests you expect things to be the same but they are not, often causing concern.

Deconstruction

• Root: "discrep-" comes from Latin "discrepare," meaning "to sound differently" or "to differ."
• Prefix: "dis-" means "apart" or "away."
• Suffix: "-ancy" forms a noun indicating a state or condition. So, "discrepancy" literally means the state of things differing apart or not matching.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you noticed a discrepancy in your school work or daily life?
• Why do you think it is important to find and fix discrepancies in important documents or data?
• How would you explain the difference between a simple difference and a discrepancy to a friend?