Askewness is a term that is not commonly used in everyday conversation but is often used in statistical analysis. It is a measure of the degree to which a distribution deviates from symmetry. In this article, we will explore the definition, origin, meaning, associations, synonyms, antonyms, and example sentences of askewness.
Definitions
Askewness is a statistical measure that indicates how much a distribution deviates from a normal distribution. It measures the degree to which the data is skewed to the left or right of the mean. A positively skewed distribution has a long tail to the right, while a negatively skewed distribution has a long tail to the left.
Origin
The word askewness is derived from the Middle English word “askew,” which means “crooked or awry.” The term has been used in statistical analysis since the early 20th century.
Meaning in different dictionaries
The meaning of askewness in different dictionaries is similar. The Oxford English Dictionary defines askewness as “crookedness or deviation from a straight line or course.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “a deviation from a straight or normal course.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines askewness as “not straight or level.”
Associations
Askewness is often associated with statistical analysis and is used to describe the shape of a distribution. It is also associated with physical objects that are crooked or not straight.
Synonyms
Some synonyms of askewness include crookedness, deviation, distortion, and skewness.
Antonyms
The antonyms of askewness are straightness, levelness, and symmetry.
The same root words
The same root words as askewness are askew, skewed, and skewness.
Example Sentences
- The data is positively skewed, indicating that there are more high values than low values.
- The picture on the wall was askew, so I straightened it.
- The askewness of the distribution indicates that it is not normally distributed.
- The building was leaning askew, making it look unstable.
- The askewness of the graph shows that the data is not evenly distributed.