Word of the Day:

March 27, 2023

disparate

adjective DISS-puh-rut

What it Means

Disparate things are noticeably distinct in quality or character. Disparate can also describe something that contains or is made up of fundamentally different and often incongruous elements.

// The proposed law has the support of a disparate collection of interest groups.

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Disparate in Context

"The season finale of Andor does a brilliant job of tying together all the disparate plot threads, but there is still more story left to tell." — Jacob Siegal, BGR, 27 Nov. 2022

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Did You Know?

If you enjoy sorting different objects into separate categories, you're well prepared to understand the origins of disparate. The word, which first appeared in English in the 16th century, comes from the Latin verb disparāre, meaning "to divide, separate off, make different." Disparāre, in turn, comes from parāre, a verb meaning "to supply, provide, make ready or prepare." Other descendants of parāre in English include both separate and prepare, as well as repair, apparatus, and even the pugnacious vituperate ("to criticize harshly and usually publicly").

Word Family Quiz

Fill in the blanks to reveal a noun from Latin parāre can refer to a wall, rampart, or elevation of earth or stone to protect soldiers: p _ _ ap _ t.

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