AVERAGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does average mean? 

• AVERAGE (noun)
  The noun AVERAGE has 3 senses:

1. a statistic describing the location of a distribution

2. (sports) the ratio of successful performances to opportunities

3. an intermediate scale value regarded as normal or usual

  Familiarity information: AVERAGE used as a noun is uncommon.

• 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

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)

Sense 1

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 number midway between the two middle numbers in a series containing an even or odd number of items)

mean; mean value (an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n)

Derivation:

average (compute the average of)

average (achieve or reach on average)

average (amount to or come to an average, without loss or gain)

average (approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(sports) the ratio of successful performances to opportunities

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Hypernyms ("average" is a kind of...):

ratio (the relative magnitudes of two quantities (usually expressed as a quotient))

Domain category:

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "average"):

batting average; hitting average ((baseball) a measure of a batter's performance; the number of base hits divided by the number of official times at bat)

fielding average ((baseball) a measure of a fielder's performance; the number of assists and putouts divided by the number of chances)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An intermediate scale value regarded as normal or usual

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

the snowfall this month is below average

Hypernyms ("average" is a kind of...):

scale value (a value on some scale of measurement)

• AVERAGE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value

Synonyms:

average; mean

Context example:

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)

Derivation:

average (a statistic describing the location of a distribution)

averageness (the state of being that is average; indicates normality but with connotations of mediocrity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lacking special distinction, rank, or status; commonly encountered

Synonyms:

average; ordinary

Context example:

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)

Derivation:

averageness (ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding)

averageness (the state of being that is average; indicates normality but with connotations of mediocrity)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Lacking exceptional quality or ability

Synonyms:

average; fair; mediocre; middling

Context example:

the performance was middling at best

Similar:

ordinary (not exceptional in any way especially in quality or ability or size or degree)

Derivation:

averageness (ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding)

averageness (the state of being that is average; indicates normality but with connotations of mediocrity)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Around the middle of a scale of evaluation

Synonyms:

average; intermediate; medium

Context example:

medium bombers

Similar:

moderate (being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution

Synonyms:

average; modal

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)

Sense 6

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:

average; median

Context example:

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)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

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

Derivation:

average (a statistic describing the location of a distribution)

Sense 2

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

Derivation:

average (a statistic describing the location of a distribution)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Compute the average of

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

average; average out

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

Derivation:

average (a statistic describing the location of a distribution)

 Context examples 

A demographic parameter indicating the average amount of schooling in a particular population or/and during a particular period of time.

(Average Education Level, NCI Thesaurus)

A demographic parameter indicating the average amount of earnings made by a family in a particular population or/and during a particular period of time.

(Average Household Income, NCI Thesaurus)

The average measured concentration of a compound in a substance over time.

(Average Concentration, NCI Thesaurus)

In males, it is reported in the age range of 16-76 years and the average age at presentation is 44 years.

(Adult Type Granulosa Cell Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

Patients may be shorter than average, and have health problems such as loss and graying of hair, hardening of the arteries, thinning of the bones, diabetes, and thin, hardened skin.

(Adult progeria, NCI Dictionary)

A question about an individual's average level of fatigue.

(Average Level of Fatigue, NCI Thesaurus)

A semiquantitative analysis of the average uptake of analyte by body tissue in relation to the total administered dose of the analyte.

(Average Metabolic Standard Uptake Value, NCI Thesaurus)

Derived, after depolymerisation and fractionation, from medical-grade porcine unfractionated heparin (UFH), bemiparin has an average molecular weight of 3,600 daltons and has a higher anti-factor Xa/anti-factor IIa ratio (8:1) than first-generation LMWHs.

(Bemiparin Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about an individual's average severity of pain.

(Average Severity of Pain, NCI Thesaurus)

Average: A data derivation technique which calculates a subject's average value over a defined set of records.

(Average of Value Derivation Technique, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)