Disproportionately

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /ˈdɪs.pɹəˌpɔɹ.ʃən.ət.li/

Definitions

1. In a way that does not maintain a fair balance or equal ratio in comparison to the entirety or size, resulting in an imbalance or uneven distribution that is unexpected
2. By behaving in a manner that leads to an unequal distribution or significant disparity when evaluated against other factors, causing an overrepresentation or underrepresentation
3. In a manner that causes an uneven or skewed ratio compared to what is typically expected

Etymology: Disproportionately is built from "disproportionate" plus the adverb ending "-ly," so the history is mostly a matter of its parts. The prefix "dis-" comes from Latin, where it meant "apart" or "in two," and it reached English through Middle English, where it appears as a negating or reversing element. The stem "proportionate" was borrowed from Latin "proportionatus," itself built from "proportio," meaning proportion, which gave English a clear sense of a fitting relation between parts of a whole. Put together, "disproportionate" means not in proper relation, out of balance. The adverb "-ly" traces back through Old English "-līce" to a Germanic root meaning "body" or "form," which is why many English adverbs end in "-ly" and why the suffix once carried a sense of "in the manner of." Attaching it to the adjective simply turns the idea of imbalance into a description of how something happens.

Synonyms: excessively, unduly, unfairly, unequally, inordinately

Antonyms: proportionately, fairly, equally, justly, reasonably