forbidden word: diverse backgrounds

diverse adj. 1 My sister and I have diverse ideas on how to raise children: different, differing, dissimilar, disparate, contrqdictory, conflicting, opposite. 2 She has diverse interests: varied, of many kinds, sundry, far-flung.
Ant. identical, same.

from – Family Word Finder: Reader’s Digest. The Reader’s Digest Association, 1975.

diverse adj. 1 of a different kind, form, character, etc.; unlike: a wide range of diverse opinions. 2 of various kinds or forms; multiform. 3 including representatives from more than one social, cultural, or economic group, especially members of ethnic or religious minority groups: a diverse student body.

Origin of diverse¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin dīversus (past participle of dīvertere “to divert ”), equivalent to dī- di- ² + vert- (base of vertere “to turn”) + -tus, past participle suffix, with -tt- regularly becoming -s-

from — Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2025g). In Dictionary.com.

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backgrounds n. 1 The painting showed trees n the foreground and mountains in the background: distance, rear, landscape, Theatre mise-en-scène, backdrop, setting, set, flats. 2 Lincoln came from an impoverished background. His background qualifies him for his office: environment, circumstances, milieu, context; upbringing, rearing, family connections, antecedents, breeding, heritage, life story; training, experience, education, preparation, grounding, past, history, credentials.
Ant. 1 foreground, fore, forefront. 2 future.

from – Family Word Finder: Reader’s Digest. The Reader’s Digest Association, 1975.

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diverse backgrounds

“Diverse backgrounds” refers to a mix of people or groups with varying characteristics, including but not limited to: race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, disability, cultural background, and educational or professional experiences. Essentially, it means a collection of individuals who come from different walks of life and have unique experiences and perspectives. 

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

• Racial and Ethnic Diversity: This includes people of different racial and ethnic origins, such as African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, European American, and Native American. 
• Socioeconomic Diversity: This refers to differences in income, education level, and occupation. 
• Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity: This includes people who identify as male, female, transgender, non-binary, lesbian, gay, bisexual, heterosexual, and other sexual orientations. 
• Disability Diversity: This encompasses individuals with various physical, cognitive, or sensory disabilities. 
• Cultural Diversity: This refers to differences in language, traditions, customs, and beliefs. 
• Educational and Professional Diversity: This includes people with different educational backgrounds, professions, and work experiences. 

from — Google Search. (n.d.).

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note: I have been focusing on definitions for forbidden words and phrases in dictionaries. I have two from the late 1960s and 1970s that

I use because: 1. I own them; 2. I’m curious to see how language has evolved over my own lifetime; and, 3. I’m assuming many people working with Trump would also be most familiar with language from the mid-twentieth century.

My initial search begins with analogue dictionaries, ie., actual hand held books. If there is no definition in the books I currently own, or a definition needs further exploration, I turn to the internet.

When I look for definitions online, I try to find a source that is either from an online dictionary, or from an academic site. I found the most comprehensive definition of diverse backgrounds in one place through google’s definition. I try to avoid the google definition generally, but after much searching, settled on google.

sentence examples: diverse backgrounds

They are from diverse backgrounds.
from – Times, Sunday Times (2007)

With increasing globalisation we have become familiar with a range of names from diverse cultural backgrounds.
from – Times, Sunday Times (2007)

Many scholars from diverse theological backgrounds and schools are supporting it so it carries a lot of weight.
from – Times, Sunday Times (2014)

— from collinsdictionary.com

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May 13, 2025
Hudson Valley, New York

This is one of the words/ phrases you can’t say in the new Trump Administration. See a comprehensive list at the Forbidden Words Project.

image: rainy day protest © Holly Troy 2025