diversity

noun

di·ver·si·ty də-ˈvər-sə-tē

dī-

plural diversities

Synonyms of diversity next

: the condition of having or being composed of differing elements : variety

especially : the inclusion of people of different races (see race entry 1 sense 1a), cultures, etc. in a group or organization

programs intended to promote diversity in schools

: an instance of being composed of differing elements or qualities : an instance of being diverse

a diversity of opinion

Example Sentences

Another factor in Burns' rise has been the strength and depth of Xerox's commitment to diversity. One-third of Xerox's 3,819 executives are women and 22% are minorities. — BERJAYA

Nanette Byrnes et al., Business Week, 8 June 2009

Jim, a lanky, bearded 35-year-old, knows a lot about heirloom fruits and vegetables. He works with the Southern Seed Legacy in Athens, Georgia, an organization devoted to preserving the seeds of heirloom plants in order to restore some of the genetic diversity that industrial agriculture has eroded over the years. — BERJAYA

Gary Paul Nabhan, Saveur, October 2009

Even more eccentric is the treatment of the British Empire. Stretching over three centuries and six continents, you might have expected that its extent, duration, and diversity would have made it immune to facile interpretation. — BERJAYA

David Gilmour, New York Review, 2 Nov. 2006

The media flood the nation's editorial markets with testimonies to the piebald character of the American democracy jumbled together from a wonderful diversity of colors, creeds, and cultural dispensations, which is a swell story, but in the United States Senate not one visible to the naked eye. — BERJAYA

Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, March 2005

The handsome creatures have hooked the interest of evolutionists and ecologists because of their dazzling diversity of shapes, behaviors, and feeding habits, which include nibbling the fins and scales of other fish. — BERJAYA

Science, 26 Nov. 2004

The island has more diversity in plant life than other islands nearby. The city is known for its cultural diversity. The school aims for diversity in its student population. See More

Recent Examples on the Web In his press conference Thursday, DeSantis touted previous legislation that requires tenure review for professors and nixing diversity, equity and inclusion funding. — BERJAYA

Ana Goñi-Lessan, USA TODAY, 22 June 2023 As colleges continue their pursuit of diversity, college students — especially those from the boy’s white, privileged echelons — need to believe in the value of diverse campus environments. — BERJAYA

Tasha Sandoval, refinery29.com, 21 June 2023 Changes have also been made to diversity, equity and inclusion measures though the topic’s contribution to an organization’s overall score has increased only slightly, rising from 2 percent to 2.33 percent. — BERJAYA

Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2023 That’s relevant when considering workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which the cases won’t apply to. — BERJAYA

Gabriela Riccardi, Quartz, 21 June 2023 Images: Everett Collection/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images Composite: Mark Kelly The Academy Award for Best Picture will be subject to a diversity, equity and inclusion veto—or so say a lot of people who haven’t read the fine print. — BERJAYA

Kyle Smith, WSJ, 21 June 2023 My team reflects our company’s reach, with a rich diversity of geographies and expertise. — BERJAYA

Maggy Chan, Variety, 19 June 2023 This affects the diversity of wildlife in the area. — BERJAYA

Bob Robinson, Arkansas Online, 19 June 2023 Vanderbilt University Now an assistant professor of molecular physiology and biophysics at Vanderbilt University, in addition to his research, Hinton focuses on raising awareness around diversity in science. — BERJAYA

Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 19 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diversity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dyversite "difference, separateness, variety," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French diverseté, diversité, borrowed from Latin dīversitāt-, dīversitās "separateness, condition of being different, difference of opinion," from dīversus "turned in different directions, situated apart, differing" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at diverse

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of diversity was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century