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average Definition

av·er·age (av′ər ij, av′rij)

noun

  1. the numerical result obtained by dividing the sum of two or more quantities by the number of quantities; an arithmetic mean
    1. grade-point average
    2. an approximation of this an average of C in French
  3. usual or normal kind, amount, quality, rate, etc. an intelligence above the average
  4. a number or value of a set of values carefully defined to typify the set, as a median or mode
  5. ☆ batting average
  6. Maritime Law
    1. a loss incurred by damage to a ship at sea or to its cargo
    2. an incurring of such loss
    3. the equitable division of such loss among the interested parties
    4. a charge arising from such loss
    5. any of various small charges paid by the master of a ship, as for pilotage or towage

Etymology: altered (by assoc. with ME average, money rent paid in place of service by the tenant with his horses < aver, draft horse) < OFr avarie, damage to ship or goods, mooring charges < OIt avaria < Ar ʿawār, damaged goods; order of main sense development (in average), , , , , etc.

adjective

  1. constituting an average the average speed is high
  2. intermediate in value, rate, etc.; hence, normal or ordinary an average student

intransitive verb -·aged, -·ag·ing

  1. to be or amount to on an average the children average six years of age
  2. to buy or sell additional fixed amounts, as of shares of stock, at lower or higher prices over time so as to get a better average price: usually with down or up
  3. to invest, as in shares of stock, fixed amounts of money at regular intervals so as to buy more at lower prices and less at higher prices: usually in phrase dollar (cost) averaging

transitive verb

  1. to calculate the average or mean of
  2. to do, take, etc. on an average to average six hours of sleep a night
  3. to divide proportionately among more than two they averaged the loss among themselves

average Idioms

average out

to arrive at an average eventually

on (the) average

as an average quantity, rate, etc.

average Synonyms

average

modif.

ordinary, normal, medium, mediocre; see common 1, normal 1.

average Synonyms

average

n.

  1. A mean

    mean, midpoint, standard, center, median, norm, middle, normal, the usual, typical kind, rule, par, common run, general run.

    Antonyms extreme*, highest*, lowest*, exception. *

  2. A score

    proportion, percentage, tally, aggregate; see score 1.

average refers to the result obtained by dividing a sum by the number of quantities added the average of 7, 9, 17 is 33 #divide 3, or 11 and in extended use is applied to the usual or ordinary kind, instance, etc.; mean commonly designates a figure intermediate between two extremes the mean temperature for a day with a high of 56⅓⅓⅓⅓⅓° and a low of 34⅓⅓⅓⅓⅓° is 45⅓⅓⅓⅓⅓° and figuratively implies moderation the golden mean; the median is the middle number or point in a series arranged in order of size the median grade in the group 50, 55, 85, 88, 92 is 85; the average is 74; norm implies a standard of average performance for a given group a child below the norm for his age in reading comprehension

on (the) average

usually, generally, commonly, ordinarily; see regularly 1.

average Synonyms

average

v.

compute an average, take the average, strike a balance, reduce to a mean, split the difference, equate, equalize, pair off.

average out

stabilize, balance, arrive at an average; see equalize.

average Finance Definition

A number arrived at by totaling a set of values and then dividing that sum by the number of values in the set. Averages, such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), are cited as a measure of the stock market’s performance. To arrive at the DJIA, the prices of the 30 stocks in the DJIA are added and divided by an adjusted divisor whose value is printed daily in the Wall Street Journal.

average Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • exceed: Our research income per researcher exceeds the sector average, reaching over £ 104,000 per active researcher in 2002/03.
  • calculate: Then we have to resort to trying to calculate the local average in the time sequence.
  • spend: Norway spends an average of £ 172 per child.
  • outperform: The report also shows that some communities, notably African and those with mixed ethnic origins, significantly outperform the national averages for participation.

Adjective modifier

  • national: Labor turnover rates in the Tees Valley are a third of the national average.
  • monthly: The three monthly average of sales has fallen to the lowest level since April 2000, with the underlying trend indicating modest volume growth.
  • Scottish: This was equivalent to 12.7 cases per 10,000 population in Dundee compared to a Scottish average of only 3.6 per 10,000 population.
  • rolling: This was based on either a 20-year rolling average or data for the latest year available.
  • annual: The " fixed " annual average will give a lower value.

Modifies a noun

  • earning: We work out your rent based on: Average earnings in Kirklees - lower average local earnings will mean lower rents.
  • temperature: Forecasts of annual global average temperature Forecasts of global average surface temperature, produced each December.
  • speed: The cameras measure drivers ' average speed through a stretch of the motorway that is being resurfaced.
  • wage: By contrast, the average Congolese wage is $ 100 a year.
  • rainfall: The price of the mildness is a higher than average rainfall.
  • salary: Average Salary Report Click a job to see an average salary.

Noun used with modifier

  • grade: Physics and Arts Subjects: Physics 2X, 2Y at a grade point average of 14.
  • sheet: SCOTT NICHOLLS ( Green sheet average: 8.98 ) Date of birth: 16 May 1978, Ipswich, Suffolk.

Preposition: of

  • %: By 2008 total UK health spending will be 9.4 % of GDP, well above the current EU average of 8 %.
  • ton: Estimated figure calculated on an average of 13 tons of goods carried per truck.

Preposition: per

capita: Social well-being and the dynamics of small communities do not automatically improve with rising average per capita GDP.