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 ˈskewness¹

First recorded in 1890–95; skew + -ness

Related Words

• imbalance 
• inequality