Average

/ˈævərɪdʒ/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A number that is calculated by dividing the sum of two or more quantities by the number of quantities.
To find the average of the scores, add them all together and divide by the total number of scores.
The typical amount or level.
On average, it takes about 30 minutes to complete the test.
verb
To calculate the average of a set of values.
We need to average these results to determine the overall performance.
adjective
The result obtained by adding several quantities together and dividing this total by the number of quantities; typical or normal.
The average temperature for July in this region is 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Having qualities that are typical of a group; not exceptional.
He is an average student, performing to the standard of his classmates.

Etymology

From Middle French 'average', meaning 'damage' or 'loss', reverting to an accounting term.

Common Phrases and Expressions

above average
Better than the usual standard.
below average
Worse than the usual standard.
on average
Generally; typically.
average out
To become equal or aligned with the average.
average Joe
An ordinary person.

Related Words

mean
The sum of values divided by the number of values.
median
The middle value in a list of numbers.
mode
The value that appears most frequently in a data set.

Slang Meanings

Mediocre quality.
That movie was just average, nothing special.
Common or typical.
I'm feeling pretty average today, not too great, not too bad.