First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
diversity
noun di·ver·si·ty \də-ˈvər-sə-tē, dī-\
: the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc.
: the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization
plural di·ver·si·ties
Full Definition of DIVERSITY
1
: the condition of having or being composed of differing elements : variety; especially : the inclusion of different types of people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization <programs intended to promote diversity in schools>
2
: an instance of being composed of differing elements or qualities : an instance of being diverse <a diversity of opinion>
See diversity defined for English-language learners
See diversity defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Examples of DIVERSITY
- 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. —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. —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. —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. —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. —Science, 26 Nov. 2004
- [+]more
Origin of DIVERSITY
(see diverse)
Related to DIVERSITY
Other Anthropology Terms
DIVERSITY Defined for Kids
diversity
noun di·ver·si·ty \də-ˈvər-sə-tē, dī-\
plural di·ver·si·ties
Definition of DIVERSITY for Kids
: the condition or fact of being different <The island has great diversity in its plant life.>
Learn More About DIVERSITY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: diversity factorPrevious Word in the Dictionary: diversionistAll Words Near: diversity
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up diversity? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).