disproportionate

adjective

dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)nət 

: being out of proportion

a disproportionate share

disproportionately adverb

Examples of disproportionate in a Sentence

He believes that middle-class people bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden.

A disproportionate number of the students are poor.

Recent Examples on the Web

By the numbers: Philadelphians living in some of the city's poorest neighborhoods account for a disproportionate amount of traffic crash hospitalizations and deaths. —Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024

Black and Hispanic adults, women, parents, lower-income and uninsured adults experience a disproportionate amount of healthcare debt, KFF data revealed. —Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024

Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research NO: Subsidies impose disproportionate costs on lower-income consumers to benefit higher-income users. —Phillip Molnar, The Mercury News, 6 Dec. 2024

Transgender people face a disproportionate amount of discrimination. —Anthony D. Romero, Twin Cities, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin disprōportiōnātus, past participle of disprōportiōnāre "to make out of proportion," from Latin dis- dis- + Medieval Latin prōportiōnāre "to compose according to proportions" — more at proportion entry 2

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

disproportionate

adjective

dis·​pro·​por·​tion·​ate ˌdis-prə-ˈpōr-sh(ə-)nət 

-ˈpȯr-

: being out of proportion

disproportionately adverb