outlier

American  

[out-lahy-er] / ˈaʊtˌlaɪ ər /

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.

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outlier British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of outlier

First recorded in 1600–10; out- + lier

Example Sentences

London-based analyst David Adams considers a stronger euro, resulting from much more enthusiastic take-up of AI technology as a potential outlier.

From MarketWatch

Federal prosecutors in Minnesota say the evolving fraud cases show the state is a national outlier “in a bad way.”

From The Wall Street Journal

You can compare and despair with retirees who have multiples of what you have, or you can also make peace with the fact that you are not necessarily outliers.

From MarketWatch

While the BOE might finish the year as an outlier among European central banks, many investors expect it to soon join its peers in holding the key rate steady for an extended period.

From The Wall Street Journal

The developer had been the outlier among its privately owned peers that have undergone restructuring or liquidation since the yearslong downturn in China’s property sector began.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aberration
• deviation
• eccentricity
• exception
• oddity