statistic
statistic Lexical Profile
statistic Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A single fact or piece of data obtained from a study of a large quantity of numerical data.
"The report cited a startling statistic about the rapid rise in renewable energy adoption over the past decade."
A numerical quantity or function (such as a sample mean or variance) calculated from a sample of data in order to estimate a population parameter.
"The researcher computed the test statistic to determine whether the experimental results were statistically significant."
A person regarded merely as a numerical entry or impersonal case within an aggregate count, rather than as an individual.
"Effective healthcare systems strive to treat every patient with personal dignity rather than as just another statistic."
• adjective
Relating to the use, collection, or analysis of numerical data and statistics; statistical.
"The report combined demographic records with other statistic evidence from the national census."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'statistic' as a singular countable noun refers to a single numerical datum or sample value, 'statistics' (plural in form but treated as singular) refers to the academic discipline and mathematical science of collecting and analyzing numerical data.
• Rhymes for statistic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 18th century from German 'Statistik' (originally the study of political facts and figures concerning a state), coined by Gottfried Achenwall from New Latin 'statisticus' ('of politics or state affairs'), ultimately from Latin 'status' ('condition, state').