skewness

[ skyoo-nis ]

noun

, Statistics.

1. asymmetry in a frequency distribution.
2. a measure of such asymmetry.

ˈskewness

/ ˈskjuːnɪs /

noun

1. the quality or condition of being skew
2. statistics a measure of the symmetry of a distribution around its mean, esp the statistic B1 = m3/ ( m2 ) 3/2, where m2 and m3 are respectively the second and third moments of the distribution around the mean. In a normal distribution, B1 = 0 See kurtosis

Word History and Origins

Origin of skewness¹

First recorded in 1890–95; skew + -ness

Example Sentences

In the distribution of the totals for ages, the mode appears plainly at 16, but with an evident skewness toward the upper ages.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• imbalance
• inequality