Definitions for average
ˈæv ər ɪdʒ, ˈæv rɪdʒav·er·age

Princeton's WordNet(3.57 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. average, normnoun

   a statistic describing the location of a distribution

   "it set the norm for American homes"

2. averagenoun

   (sports) the ratio of successful performances to opportunities

3. averageadjective

   an intermediate scale value regarded as normal or usual

   "he is about average in height"; "the snowfall this month is below average"

4. average, mean(a)adjective

   approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value

   "the average income in New England is below that of the nation"; "of average height for his age"; "the mean annual rainfall"

5. average, ordinaryadjective

   lacking special distinction, rank, or status; commonly encountered

   "average people"; "the ordinary (or common) man in the street"

6. average, fair, mediocre, middlingadjective

   lacking exceptional quality or ability

   "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"

7. average, intermediate, mediumadjective

   around the middle of a scale of evaluation

   "an orange of average size"; "intermediate capacity"; "medium bombers"

8. modal(a), averageadjective

   relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution

   "the modal age at which American novelists reach their peak is 30"

9. median(a), averageverb

   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)

   "the median value of 17, 20, and 36 is 20"; "the median income for the year was $15,000"

10. average, average outverb

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

    "The number of hours I work per work averages out to 40"

11. averageverb

    achieve or reach on average

    "He averaged a C"

12. average, average outverb

    compute the average of

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. averagenoun

   The arithmetic mean.

   The average of 10, 20 and 24 is (10 + 20 + 24)/3 = 18.

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

2. averagenoun

   Any measure of central tendency, especially any mean, the median, or the mode (see Usage notes below).

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

3. averagenoun

   An indication of a player's ability calculated from his scoring record, etc.

   batting average

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

4. averageverb

   To compute the arithmetic mean of.

   If you average 10, 20 and 24, you get 18.

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

5. averageverb

   Over a period of time or across members of a population, to have or generate a mean value of.

   The daily high temperature last month averaged 15C.

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

6. averageadjective

   Constituting or relating to the average.

   The average age of the participants was 18.5.

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

7. averageadjective

   Neither very good nor very bad; rated somewhere in the middle of all others in the same category.

   I soon found I was only an average chess player.

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

8. averageadjective

   Typical.

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

9. averageadjective

   Not outstanding, not good, banal; bad or poor.

   Etymology: From avarie, from avaria, from عوارية, from عوار, from عور.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Averagenoun

   that service which a tenant owed his lord, to be done by the work beasts of the tenant, as the carriage of wheat, turf, etc

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

2. Averagenoun

   a tariff or duty on goods, etc

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

3. Averagenoun

   any charge in addition to the regular charge for freight of goods shipped

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

4. Averagenoun

   a contribution to a loss or charge which has been imposed upon one of several for the general benefit; damage done by sea perils

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

5. Averagenoun

   the equitable and proportionate distribution of loss or expense among all interested

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

6. Averagenoun

   a mean proportion, medial sum or quantity, made out of unequal sums or quantities; an arithmetical mean. Thus, if A loses 5 dollars, B 9, and C 16, the sum is 30, and the average 10

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

7. Averagenoun

   any medial estimate or general statement derived from a comparison of diverse specific cases; a medium or usual size, quantity, quality, rate, etc

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

8. Averagenoun

   in the English corn trade, the medial price of the several kinds of grain in the principal corn markets

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

9. Averageadjective

   pertaining to an average or mean; medial; containing a mean proportion; of a mean size, quality, ability, etc.; ordinary; usual; as, an average rate of profit; an average amount of rain; the average Englishman; beings of the average stamp

   Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

10. Averageadjective

    according to the laws of averages; as, the loss must be made good by average contribution

    Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

11. Averageverb

    to find the mean of, when sums or quantities are unequal; to reduce to a mean

    Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

12. Averageverb

    to divide among a number, according to a given proportion; as, to average a loss

    Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

13. Averageverb

    to do, accomplish, get, etc., on an average

    Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

14. Averageverb

    to form, or exist in, a mean or medial sum or quantity; to amount to, or to be, on an average; as, the losses of the owners will average twenty five dollars each; these spars average ten feet in length

    Etymology: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avrage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was perhaps the service of carting a feudal lord's wheat, then charge for carriage, the contribution towards loss of things carried, in proportion to the amount of each person's property. Cf. Aver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Average

   In colloquial language average usually means the sum of a list of numbers divided by the size of the list, in other words the arithmetic mean. However it can alternatively mean the median, the mode, or some other central or typical value. In statistics, these are all known as measures of central tendency. The concept of an average can be extended in various ways in mathematics, but in those contexts it is usually referred to as a mean

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Average

   av′ėr-āj, n. the mean value or quantity of a number of values or quantities: any expense incurred beyond the freight, payable by the owner of the goods shipped, as in the phrase Petty average: any loss or damage to ship or cargo from unavoidable accidental causes—Particular average. Again, General average is the apportionment of loss caused by measures taken for the ship's safety, as cutting away the masts, throwing overboard cargo, accepting towage, or the like.—adj. containing a mean value: ordinary.—v.t. to fix an average.—v.i. to exist in, or form, a mean quantity. [Dr Murray says the word first appears about 1500 in connection with the maritime trade of the Mediterranean (Fr. avarie, Sp. averia, It. avaria); probably averia is a derivative of It. avere (O. Fr. aveir), goods, the original sense being a 'charge on property or goods.' The It. avere and O. Fr. aveir meant goods, substance, cattle—L. habēre, to have. The Old Eng. aver in the same sense is obsolete, but in Scotland aver still means an old horse.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. average

   Whether general or particular, is a term of ambiguous construction, meaning the damage incurred for the safety of the ship and cargo; the contribution made by the owners in general, apportioned to their respective investments, to repair any particular loss or expense sustained; and a small duty paid to the master for his care of the whole. Goods thrown overboard for the purpose of lightening the ship, are so thrown for the good of all, and the loss thus sustained must be made up by a general average or contribution from all the parties interested. (See GENERAL AVERAGE.)

Matched Categories

1. • Achieve
   • Ratio
   • Sport
   • Statistics

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'average' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1694

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'average' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1999

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'average' in Nouns Frequency: #1146

4. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'average' in Adjectives Frequency: #211

How to pronounce average?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say average in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of average in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of average in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of average in a Sentence

1. The WWF report:

   If everybody in the world had the same ecological footprint as an average EU resident - emitting as much carbon, consuming as much food, timber and fibers, and occupying as much built up space - May 10th would be the date by which humanity would have used as much from nature than our planet can renew in a whole year, for the rest of the year, humanity would have to live off depleting the natural capital of the Earth.

2. Michael Bream:

   For most of us, that's going to be like a 7,500-pound trailer that you go camping with, right ? so what really, really matters is how far can Michael Bream go on one charge with an average size trailer behind Michael Bream.

3. Lao Tzu:

   When the highest type of men hear Tao, They diligently practice it. When the average type of men hear Tao, They half believe in it. When the lowest type of men hear Tao, They laugh heartily at it.

4. Carl Gustav Jung:

   Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. But deep down below the surface of the average conscience a still, small voice says to us, 'Something is out of tune.'

5. Gil Dotan:

   On average, in the U.S., there are 38 (yearly) fatalities from heat stroke originated from forgotten infants in cars. In terms of car crashes and fatalities, you have roughly 35,000 cases each year.

Images & Illustrations of average

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