median
/ˈmiːdiən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmiːdiən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmē-dē-ən/ (ame, mw) · /ˈmiː.di.ən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmiː.di.ən/ (ame, ipa)
median — adjective
- medianpositive
- more mediancomparative
- most mediansuperlative
1. describing the number found at the middle position of a set of numbers after the
describing the number found at the middle position of a set of numbers after they have been arranged from smallest to largest — often used to show what is typical or average without being distorted by unusually high or low values
The median age in Naoko's neighbourhood is thirty-four, meaning half the residents are younger than that and half are older.
collocation: median age, median income, median price
The median score was higher than the average because three low grades skewed it.
Economists prefer the median income because a few high salaries can make the average misleading.
The median price of a small house in this district has risen to $250,000.
- extreme
at one end of the ordered set rather than the middle
文法句型
median + noun (median age, median income, median score)
用法筆記
Often used in contrast with 'mean' (the mathematical average) when discussing data — the median is less affected by extreme values.
常見錯誤
2. located on or near the imaginary line running down the middle of the human torso
located on or near the imaginary line running down the middle of the human torso that splits it into left and right halves — used in medical descriptions of where a nerve, organ, or cut is found
The median nerve runs through the forearm and controls movement in the thumb and fingers.
collocation: median nerve
The median plane divides the human body into left and right halves.
collocation: median plane
The surgeon cut along the median line of the abdomen to reach both sides of the cavity.
The nurse felt for the pulse at the median side of the patient's wrist.
- lateral
toward the sides of the body rather than the midline
文法句型
median + noun (median nerve, median plane, median line)
用法筆記
Primarily used in medical and biological contexts. The opposite of 'median' in anatomy is 'lateral' (toward the sides of the body).
3. situated somewhere between the two ends of a range — not at the highest or lowes
situated somewhere between the two ends of a range — not at the highest or lowest level, and not at one extreme or the other
Joaquín's house is at the median point between the two schools his children attend.
collocation: median point
The company divided its products into low-end, median, and premium price categories.
On the grading scale, a score of 75 falls in the median range — not excellent, but not poor either.
Students with median scores were placed on a waiting list for the programme.
- middle
more common and interchangeable in most non-technical contexts
- intermediate
emphasises being between two stages or levels
- mid-level
often used for ranks, quality, or skill categories
文法句型
median + noun (median point, median category, median range)
median — noun
- mediansingular
- mediansplural
1. the number at the middle position within a sorted set of numbers; when the set c
the number at the middle position within a sorted set of numbers; when the set contains an even number of items, the median is the average of the two central values
The median test result was 85, showing the teacher that most students understood the material.
grammar pattern: the median of + noun phrase
When Rohan looked at the housing prices in his city, the median was $320,000 — far more realistic than the average of $480,000.
Saira graded thirty students and found the median was 72, exactly as she predicted.
The median of the yearly temperatures in Taipei is about 24 degrees Celsius.
- middle value
plain-English equivalent; less technical
- midpoint
can mean the point halfway between two numbers, not necessarily the median of a data set
- outlier
a value far away from the middle of the set
文法句型
the median of + noun phrase (the median of the data set)
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'mean' (the arithmetic average) and 'mode' (the most frequent value). The median is preferred when a set contains extreme values that would distort the average.
常見錯誤
2. a strip of land, often covered with grass or plants, that separates traffic movi
a strip of land, often covered with grass or plants, that separates traffic moving in opposite directions on a wide road or highway
A car crossed the median on Highway 101 and caused a three-vehicle collision in the oncoming lane.
verb collocation: cross the median
In some states, the median is planted with wildflowers to make the highway more pleasant for drivers.
The construction crew built a concrete barrier along the median to prevent drivers from drifting into oncoming traffic.
Running across the median of a busy highway is extremely dangerous.
- median strip
the full term; more formal and specific
- central reservation
British English equivalent
- divider
informal shortening
文法句型
the median of + road name
cross + the median
用法筆記
This sense is primarily used in the United States. In British English, the same thing is called the 'central reservation' or just 'reservation'.