bias
bias Lexical Profile
bias Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A disproportionate inclination, predisposition, or prejudice in favor of or against a person, group, thing, or viewpoint, especially in a way considered to be unfair or closed-minded.
"The hiring committee implemented blind resume reviews to minimize unconscious bias during the selection process."
A systematic distortion or error in a statistical result, experimental measurement, or machine learning model caused by a flaw in sampling, data collection, or analytical design.
"Relying solely on voluntary online surveys introduced a strong selection bias into the demographic study."
A diagonal direction, line, or cut across the weave or grain of a fabric.
"Cutting satin on the bias gives the evening gown a fluid, figure-hugging drape."
A steady framing voltage, current, or magnetic field applied to an electronic device (such as a transistor, diode, or magnetic recording tape) to establish a reference operating point.
"The audio engineer adjusted the grid bias on the vacuum tube amplifier to eliminate signal crossover distortion."
In the game of bowls, the asymmetric shape or lopsided weight of a ball that causes it to roll along a curved path, or the curved path itself.
"The veteran bowler accounted for the heavy bias of the wood as it curled gracefully toward the jack."
• verb
To cause someone to feel or show an unfair inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something; to distort or skew a judgment or statistical outcome.
"Leading questions during an interview can easily bias a witness's recollection of events."
To apply a small steady voltage, current, or magnetic field to an electronic component in order to set its operating conditions.
"The circuit is designed to forward-bias the semiconductor diode so that current flows with minimal resistance."
• adjective
Cut, set, or running diagonally across the grain of a fabric; oblique or slanting.
"The tailor used a bias strip of silk to bind the curved neckline neatly."
• adverb
In a diagonal or slanting manner; obliquely across the threads of a fabric.
"The skirt was cut bias so that the linen would drape smoothly over the hips."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not use the noun 'bias' when the participial adjective 'biased' is required; for example, say 'She is biased toward her friend' (adjective) or 'She has a bias toward her friend' (noun), never 'She is bias.'
• Rhymes for bias
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 16th century from Middle French 'biais' ('a slant, slope, or oblique direction'), ultimately from Old Provençal 'biais', originally used in English for a diagonal cut in fabric and for the weighted curve of a ball in the game of bowls.