median

CEFRC1

/ˈmiː.dɪən/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    The middle value in an ordered set of numbers.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A line segment joining the vertex of triangle to the midpoint of the opposing side.

Examples

  • Averages come in three flavors: mean, median, and mode.

  • It is important to know the difference between mean and median.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
4
Synonyms
3

Also pronounced

  • [ˈmɪi.di.ən]
  • /ˈmi.di.ən/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A number separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, population, or probability distribution. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to highest value and picking the middle...

  2. A central vein or nerve, especially the median vein or median nerve running through the forearm and arm.

  3. The area separating two lanes of opposite-direction traffic.

More examples

In context

  • Why is not our jugular or throat-veine as much at our command as the mediane [translating mediane]?

  • The Greeks prescribe the median or middle vein to be opened, and so much blood to be taken away as the patient may well spare, and the cut that is made must be wide enough.

  • Seen from street level, the median was clean most days. From the third floor you peered over the benches and trees and saw the trash crowding the subway ventilation grates and paving stones.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

In the sorted list of five numbers 1,2,3,4,100, the blank is 3.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Borrowed from Middle French median, from Latin mediānus (“of or pertaining to the middle”, adjective), from medius (“middle”) (see medium), from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“middle”). Doublet of mean and mizzen. Cognate with Old English midde, middel (“middle”). More at middle.