Disparate
/ˈdɪspərət/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Disparate describes things or ideas that are very different from each other and have no clear connection. When two things are disparate, they do not share common features or qualities and seem separate or unrelated.
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See It in Action
Very different or unlike in kind or quality
- •The two cultures have disparate traditions and customs.
- •Their opinions on the topic were disparate and could not be reconciled.
- •The study compared disparate groups with very different lifestyles.
Separate and distinct, not able to be compared directly
- •The company works with disparate technologies that do not easily connect.
- •She has interests in disparate fields like art and computer science.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "disparate" like "different" (A1 word), but much stronger—meaning very far apart, not just a little different
- ✓Picture two objects on opposite sides of a room that don’t belong together, like a fish and a bicycle
- ✓It feels like trying to compare apples and cars—there is no natural link between them
- ✓Sounds like "DIS-puh-rit" → imagine two pieces of a puzzle that don’t fit because they are from different puzzles
- ✓Think of stories or movies where characters come from very different worlds and have nothing in common
- ✓NOT like "similar" (things that look or feel alike)—disparate means almost opposite or completely unrelated
- ✓NOT like "varied" (different but part of one group)—disparate means very separate or disconnected
- ✓NOT like "mixed" (combined parts)—disparate things stay clearly apart and separate
Try Other Words
- •Diverse: showing variety or many types (Use when emphasizing many different kinds within a group)
- •Distinct: clearly separate or different (Use when things are separate but may still be related)
- •Unrelated: having no connection (Use when things have no link or relationship at all)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "dis-" (a prefix meaning "not" or "apart") + "parate" (from Latin "parare," meaning to prepare or make ready, but here it means "equal" or "similar")
- •Etymology: From Latin "disparatus," meaning separated or unequal
- •Historical development: Originally meant things separated or unequal in status or kind, used in English since the early 1600s
- •Modern usage: Used mainly to describe things very different in type, quality, or nature, often in formal or academic language
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of two things in your life that seem disparate but you found a way to connect them?
•How does recognizing disparate ideas help us understand different points of view better?
Fill in the blanks
1.The two teams have disparate ___, so they find it hard to work together.
2.When people from disparate cultures meet, they may need to ___ their differences carefully.
3.Unlike similar ideas, disparate opinions often lead to ___ discussions.
4.The book compares disparate ___ like music and mathematics in surprising ways.
5.Disparate technologies in the company require ___ solutions to work properly.
6.When things are disparate, it is difficult to find a ___ between them.
7.The project brought together disparate ___ that normally do not interact.