1. Functional equality
   "The treaty aimed to establish parity between the two nations' military forces"
    
2. (mathematics) a relation between a pair of integers: if both integers are odd or both are even they have the same parity; if one is odd and the other is even they have different parity
   "parity is often used to check the integrity of transmitted data"
    
3. (computing) a bit that is used in an error detection procedure in which a 0 or 1 is added to each group of bits so that it will have either an odd number of 1's or an even number of 1's; e.g., if the parity is odd then any group of bits that arrives with an even number of 1's must contain an error
   "The data transmission included a parity bit for error checking";
   - parity bit, check bit
    
4. (physics) parity is conserved in a universe in which the laws of physics are the same in a right-handed system of coordinates as in a left-handed system
   "The discovery that conservation of parity is violated in weak interactions was a major breakthrough in physics";
   - conservation of parity, space-reflection symmetry, mirror symmetry
    
5. (obstetrics) the number of liveborn children a woman has delivered
   "the parity of the mother must be considered"

Derived forms: parities

Type of: bit, conservation, equivalence, gestation, gravidation [archaic], gravidity [technical], maternity, mathematical relation, pregnancy

Encyclopedia: Parity