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dis·pa·rate

(dĭspər-ĭt, dĭ-spărĭt)

adj.

1. Fundamentally distinct or different in kind; entirely dissimilar: "This mixture of apparently disparate materials—scandal and spiritualism, current events and eternal recurrences—is not promising on the face of it" (Garry Wills).

2. Containing or composed of dissimilar or opposing elements: a disparate group of people who represented a cross section of the city.

[Latin disparātus, past participle of disparāre, to separate : dis-, apart; see DIS- + parāre, to prepare; see perə-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

dispa·rate·ly adv.

dispa·rate·ness n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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