outlier

[out-lahy-er]

noun

1. something that lies outside the main body or group that it is a part of, such as a cow far from the rest of the herd, or a distant island belonging to a cluster of islands.

   The small factory was an outlier, and unproductive, so the corporation sold it off to private owners who were able to make it profitable.

2. someone who stands apart from other members of a group, such as by differing behavior, beliefs, or religious practices.

   There are a few scientists who are outliers in their views on climate change.

   Synonyms: outsider, heretic, iconoclast, dissenter, dissident, bohemian, eccentric, original, maverick, nonconformist

3. Statistics.

   1. an observation that is well outside of the expected range of values in a study or experiment, and which is often discarded from the data set.

      Experience with a variety of data-reduction problems has led to several strategies for dealing with outliers in data sets.

   2. a person whose abilities, achievements, etc., lie outside the range of statistical probability.

4. Geology.,  a part of a formation left detached through the removal of surrounding parts by erosion.

5. Obsolete.,  a person residing outside the place of their business, duty, etc.

outlier

/ ˈaʊtˌlaɪə /

noun

1. an outcrop of rocks that is entirely surrounded by older rocks

2. a person, thing, or part situated away from a main or related body

3. a person who lives away from his place of work, duty, etc

4. statistics a point in a sample widely separated from the main cluster of points in the sample See scatter diagram

Word History and Origins

Origin of outlier¹

First recorded in 1600–10; out- + lier

Example Sentences

To the owners, who believe that widening revenue inequality among franchises requires drastic action, the Brewers are the ultimate outlier in a system fundamentally stacked against them.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It is convenient to say “we” but of course there were outliers.

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JetBlue was once an outlier in offering free Wi-Fi, but the perk is becoming table stakes for airlines.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“German expressionism has always been something of an outlier in terms of American museum exhibition and collecting priorities,” Jane said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Even so, after years of feeling like an outlier, Lorde has come to understand her role in music slightly differently.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aberration 
• deviation 
• eccentricity 
• exception 
• oddity