inclusivity
in-kloo-SIV-uh-tee
/ˌɪn.kluːˈsɪv.ə.ti/
The policy or practice of providing equal access and opportunities to people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized.
Proactive structural effort to welcome and integrate everyone regardless of background or gender.
The story behind the word. Derived from 'inclusive', which stems from Latin 'includere' (to shut in or enclose: in- 'in' + claudere 'to shut'). Over time, shutting people in evolved from physical containment into modern social welcoming.
Word relationships
- inclusiveness: Virtually identical, though inclusivity is more common in modern institutional policy language.
- exclusivity: The practice of restricting access or membership to a select group.
Commonly confused with
- clusivity: Clusivity is a technical linguistic term regarding pronouns, whereas inclusivity is a social principle.
Word family
- inclusive (adjective): Including all targeted groups or individuals.
- include (verb): To contain or make part of a whole.
Collocations
- promote inclusivity
- culture of inclusivity
- foster inclusivity
Example sentences
- "The modern academy strives for inclusivity by adapting teaching methods to accommodate diverse learning styles and genders." School mission statement
Memory hook
INCLUDE everyone inside the circle. Welcoming all inside.
When not to use
Do not use to describe mere attendance; it implies genuine belonging and participating.
Fun facts
- The Latin root 'claudere' is also responsible for 'claustrophobia' and 'closet'.
Related words
Explore more words
inclusion, inclusive, exclusivity, accommodate, Equality, egalitarian
Also appears in
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