discrepancy
UK[dɪˈskrepənsi]US[dɪˈskrepənsi]
n
A difference between two or more things that should be the same.
n
An inconsistency between facts, figures, or claims.
Morpheme Breakdown
dis
crep
ancy
dis
apart
crep
rattle, crack
ancy
state of
Etymology
The word "discrepancy" originates from the Latin verb discrepare, meaning "to sound differently, to be discordant." This verb itself is a compound of the prefix dis- ("apart") and crepare ("to rattle or crack"). The literal image is of two sounds that are apart from each other, failing to harmonize and creating a jarring noise. Over time, this auditory metaphor of dissonance was abstracted to describe any kind of mismatch or lack of agreement between facts, figures, or accounts. The suffix -ancy was added to form a noun indicating the state or condition of being discordant, solidifying its modern meaning of an observed inconsistency.
Analysis
Structure: dis (apart) + crep (rattle, crack) + ancy (state of)
dis: Latin prefix meaning "apart, away, having a negative or reversing force."
crep: From Latin crepare, meaning "to rattle, crack, creak."
ancy: A noun-forming suffix from Latin -antia, denoting a state or quality.
Examples
There is a noticeable discrepancy between the two witness accounts of the event.
The auditor found several discrepancies in the company's financial records.
We need to resolve the discrepancy between the estimated cost and the final invoice.