distribution
/ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌdi-strə-ˈbyü-shən/ (ame, mw)
distribution — noun
- distributionsingular
- distributionsplural
1. the activity of providing goods, supplies, or other items to the people or place
the activity of providing goods, supplies, or other items to the people or places that need them
The charity handled the distribution of food and blankets to earthquake survivors.
collocation: distribution of [goods/aid/supplies]
Aarav works in a distribution centre where he checks orders before they are shipped.
collocation: distribution centre / distribution network
The company manages both the production and the distribution of its medicines.
A fair distribution of the profits was agreed upon by all partners.
Tamás delivers packages for a large distribution company in Budapest.
- allocation
focuses on deciding how much each person or group gets, not the physical act of giving out
- supply
broader term covering both making available and the amount available; less specific than distribution
- delivery
emphasises the physical transport and handover of items to their destination
- collection
the act of gathering items together rather than giving them out
文法句型
distribution + of + [goods/supplies]
用法筆記
Often used with a following of-phrase that names the goods or recipients: distribution of food, distribution of resources. The word is usually uncountable, though a countable use (distributions) occurs in specialised business contexts.
常見錯誤
2. the pattern or arrangement of things or people across a physical area, showing w
the pattern or arrangement of things or people across a physical area, showing where each is located relative to the others
The map shows the distribution of different bird species across the island.
collocation: distribution of [animals/plants/species]
The population distribution in this country is uneven, with most people living in coastal cities.
collocation: population distribution
Devika studied the distribution of native plants in the desert region.
Rainfall distribution varies widely between the northern and southern parts of the valley.
There is a wide distribution of ages among the volunteers who help at the shelter.
- spread
more informal; describes the fact that something covers an area without implying a deliberate pattern
- arrangement
focuses on the order and positioning of items, often with the idea of design or planning
- dispersion
more technical; emphasises how scattered or concentrated the items are
- concentration
the state of being gathered densely in one place rather than spread out
文法句型
distribution + of + [people/things] + across/throughout + [place]
用法筆記
Frequently used with an adjective describing the nature of the spread: even/uneven distribution, wide/narrow distribution, geographical distribution.
常見錯誤
3. in mathematics and statistics, the arrangement of data that shows how often each
in mathematics and statistics, the arrangement of data that shows how often each different number or measurement occurs, usually presented in a graph or chart
The test scores followed a normal distribution, with most students scoring near the average.
collocation: normal distribution
A frequency distribution chart shows how many times each answer was chosen in the survey.
collocation: frequency distribution
Nkechi plotted the income distribution of the households in her research study.
The data follows a distribution pattern that is common in biological measurements.
Minh rolled a fair die fifty times — each number appeared about equally, showing a uniform distribution.
- frequency distribution
a more precise term that emphasises how often values occur
- probability distribution
used when describing the likelihood of each possible outcome
文法句型
[adjective] + distribution
distribution + of + [variable]
用法筆記
In statistics, the word can be both countable (different distributions can be compared) and uncountable (the general concept of distribution). Common adjectives: normal, binomial, uniform, random, frequency, probability.