statistical
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of statistical
First recorded in 1590–1600; statistic(s) + -al 1
Explanation
If you can say it with numbers, then it is probably statistical. Statistical information (or "stats") can tell the chance of rain tomorrow or what percentage or your allowance gets spent on texting. Statistics is the science of gathering numerical information in large amounts and using it to make broad deductions — such as the one that famously declared the average British family in the 1980s had 2.4 children. Of course, that was nonsense, and the statisticians later amended it — to 1.6. Statistical answers, as the previous example shows, often need to be taken with a pinch of salt.
Vocabulary lists containing statistical
Nothing But the Truth
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How It Went Down
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Statistical pieces have been published outlining why United have not been quite as good post-Ruben Amorim as their results suggest.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Statistical analyses were supported by National Institute on Aging grant R01AG070941.
From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026
Groshen says that those who sign a memorandum of understanding would be considered BLS agents, making any violations liable to prosecution under the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act.
From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026
Statistical significance is not in itself a reason to bet on a pattern persisting.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 5, 2025
Statistical mechanics tells you how the molecules of matter wiggle; the wave theory of light implied that these molecular wiggles somehow cause ripples of radiation—light waves.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
