What does parity mean?
Parity means the state of being equal or equivalent. It is especially common in discussions of pay, gender, representation, educational resources, political influence, and access to opportunities, where it describes a situation in which comparable groups or outcomes are closely matched. The expression “parity with” indicates that one person, group, system, or result has reached the same level as another. Parity can also have technical uses: in mathematics, it refers to whether a number is even or odd, while in computing it describes an error-detection method based on that property. Although “equality” may be the more general word, “parity” often implies a comparison between two or more sides and can suggest an intended or achieved balance. In policy debates, the term may also carry the implication that equal treatment alone is insufficient when underlying conditions remain unequal.
nounThe state of being equal or equivalent, especially in status, rights, treatment, representation, or outcome. It can also refer technically to the evenness or oddness of a number or to the corresponding error-detection function in computing.
- Equality or equivalence, especially among people, groups, institutions, outcomes, or comparable values.
- The property of an integer or other mathematical quantity being even or odd.
- In computing, an error-detection mechanism based on whether a number of bits or records is even or odd.
"The policy was introduced to bring the two schools closer to parity in funding and educational resources."
"The country has made considerable progress toward gender parity in senior management."
"The system uses a parity check to detect errors during transmission."
The plural is uncommon in general usage but occurs when several states of equality or equivalence are being discussed.
"The report identifies persistent parities between men's and women's median earnings."
Parity begins with the Latin par, meaning “equal”—a fitting root for a word built around sameness.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does parity come from?
Parity entered English from Latin in the early modern period. Its Latin ancestor, paritas, means “equality” or “the state of being equal” and was formed from par, meaning “equal.” Related words include English “peer” and “par,” as well as “comparable” and “impair,” which preserve the same Latin root through other forms and developments.
How parity is actually used
Parity is a formal but widely used term. In social and institutional contexts, it often emphasizes matching status, treatment, representation, or outcomes; in mathematics and computing, it has specialized meanings connected with evenness and oddness.
Easily confused with parity
Parity means equality or equivalence, whereas partial means existing only in part or incomplete.