Bias Meaning
/ˈbaɪ.əs/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounInclination towards something.
nounThe diagonal line between warp and weft in a woven fabric.
Sentence Examples
You have to judge the case without bias.
People tend to look at others with bias.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The journalist was accused of showing ____ in her report about the political rally.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The judge was accused of having a personal ____ against the man.
Word Origin & History
c. 1520 in the sense "oblique line". As a technical term in the game of bowls c. 1560, whence the figurative use (c. 1570). From Middle French biais, adverbially ("sideways, askance, against the grain") c. 1250, as a noun ("oblique angle, slant") from the late 16th century. The French word is likely from Old Occitan biais, itself of obscure origin, most likely from Vulgar Latin *biaxius (“with two axes”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Morality […] give[s] a bias to all their [men's] actions."
— 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 4, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 12:
"nature has pointed out a mixed kind of life as most suitable to the human race, and secretly admonished them to allow none of these biasses to draw too much"
— 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral., London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, § 4:
"Researchers worry that the people who are building artificial intelligence systems may be building their own biases into the technology."
— 2020 December 3, Cade Metz, Daisuke Wakabayashi, “Google Researcher Says She Was Fired Over Paper Highlighting Bias in A.I.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
"Reshaping [of British Railways] was far from perfect. It was tainted by statistical overreach, the unconscious biases of its author, and by the political demands being placed upon the BRB by government."
— 2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 49:
"there is a concealed bias within the spheroid"
— 1822, [Walter Scott], Peveril of the Peak. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The journalist was accused of showing ____ in her report about the political rally.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The judge was accused of having a personal ____ against the man.