AVERAGE
Dictionary entry overview: What does average mean?
• AVERAGE (noun)
The noun AVERAGE has 1 sense:
1. a statistic describing the location of a distribution
Familiarity information: AVERAGE used as a noun is very rare.
• AVERAGE (adjective)
The adjective AVERAGE has 6 senses:
1. approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
2. lacking special distinction, rank, or status; commonly encountered
3. lacking exceptional quality or ability
4. around the middle of a scale of evaluation of physical measures
5. relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution
6. relating to or constituting the middle value of an ordered set of values (or the average of the middle two in a set with an even number of values)
Familiarity information: AVERAGE used as an adjective is common.
• AVERAGE (verb)
The verb AVERAGE has 3 senses:
1. amount to or come to an average, without loss or gain
2. achieve or reach on average
3. compute the average of
Familiarity information: AVERAGE used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• AVERAGE (noun)
Meaning:
A statistic describing the location of a distribution
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Synonyms:
average; norm
Context example:
it set the norm for American homes
Hypernyms ("average" is a kind of...):
statistic (a datum that can be represented numerically)
Domain category:
statistics (a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "average"):
age norm (the average age at which particular performances are expected to appear)
modal value; mode (the most frequent value of a random variable)
median; median value (the value below which 50% of the cases fall)
mean; mean value (an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n)
• AVERAGE (adjective)
Meaning:
Approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
Synonyms:
average; mean
Context examples:
the average income in New England is below that of the nation / of average height for his age / the mean annual rainfall
Similar:
normal (conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal)
Domain category:
statistics (a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters)
Meaning:
Lacking special distinction, rank, or status; commonly encountered
Synonyms:
average; ordinary
Context examples:
average people / the ordinary (or common) man in the street
Similar:
common (having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual)
Meaning:
Lacking exceptional quality or ability
Synonyms:
middling; mediocre; average; fair
Context examples:
a novel of average merit / only a fair performance of the sonata / in fair health / the caliber of the students has gone from mediocre to above average / the performance was middling at best
Similar:
ordinary (not exceptional in any way especially in quality or ability or size or degree)
Meaning:
Around the middle of a scale of evaluation of physical measures
Synonyms:
medium; intermediate; average
Context examples:
an orange of average size / intermediate capacity / a plane with intermediate range / medium bombers
Similar:
moderate (being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme)
Meaning:
Relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution
Synonyms:
modal; average
Context example:
the modal age at which American novelists reach their peak is 30
Similar:
normal (conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal)
Domain category:
statistics (a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters)
Meaning:
Relating to or constituting the middle value of an ordered set of values (or the average of the middle two in a set with an even number of values)
Synonyms:
median; average
Context examples:
the median value of 17, 20, and 36 is 20 / the median income for the year was $15,000
Similar:
normal (conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal)
Domain category:
statistics (a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters)
• AVERAGE (verb)
Meaning:
Amount to or come to an average, without loss or gain
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
average; average out
Context example:
The number of hours I work per work averages out to 40
Hypernyms (to "average" is one way to...):
add up; amount; come; number; total (add up in number or quantity)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Achieve or reach on average
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Context example:
He averaged a C
Hypernyms (to "average" is one way to...):
accomplish; achieve; attain; reach (to gain with effort)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Compute the average of
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
average out; average
Hypernyms (to "average" is one way to...):
calculate; cipher; compute; cypher; figure; reckon; work out (make a mathematical calculation or computation)
Domain category:
arithmetic (the branch of pure mathematics dealing with the theory of numerical calculations)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
