moving average

noun

, Statistics.

1. one of a succession of averages of data from a time series, where each average is calculated by successively shifting the interval by the same period of time.

moving average

noun

1. statistics (of a sequence of values) a derived sequence of the averages of successive subsequences of a given number of members, often used in time series to even out short-term fluctuations and make a trend clearer

   the 3-term moving average of 4, 6, 8, 7, 9, 8 is 6, 7, 8

Word History and Origins

Origin of moving average¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

From 2005 to 2007, this number was closer to .5 percent and the three-month moving average now stands at 1.25 percent.

From The Daily Beast

This plus/minus factor, using a 10-day moving average, was then mixed with traditional polling to create a prediction.

From The Daily Beast

This data is then tracked using a 10-day moving average, to assure that sudden changes in changes do not unduly skew results.

From The Daily Beast