median
noun
me·di·an
| \ ˈmē-dē-ən
\
\
Definition of median
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a medial (see medial sense 2b) part (such as a vein or nerve)
2a
: a value in an ordered set of values below and above which there is an equal number of values or which is the arithmetic mean of the two middle values if there is no one middle number
b
: a vertical line that divides the histogram of a frequency distribution into two parts of equal area
c
: a value of a random variable for which all greater values make the cumulative distribution function greater than one half and all lesser values make it less than one half
3a
: a line from a vertex (see vertex sense 2) of a triangle to the midpoint of the opposite side
b
: a line joining the midpoints of the nonparallel sides of a trapezoid (see trapezoid sense 1a)
4
: median strip
median
adjectiveDefinition of median (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: being in the middle or in an intermediate position : medial
2
: lying in the plane dividing a bilateral animal into right and left halves
3
: relating to or constituting a statistical median
4
: produced without occlusion along the lengthwise middle line of the tongue
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Synonyms for median
Synonyms: Adjective
average, intermediate, mean, medium, middle, middling, midsize (also midsized), moderate, modest
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Examples of median in a Sentence
Adjective
What is the median price of homes in this area? the median price of a home in the areaRecent Examples on the Web: Noun
But the Bears can contend for a Super Bowl if their quarterback simply keeps his play close to the league median. — David Haugh, chicagotribune.com, "Column: The Bears can be great in 2019 if Mitch Trubisky is merely good," 22 Aug. 2019 Crews will construct a temporary bypass in the interstate median. — Mike Cruz, azcentral, "I-10 lane closures planned in Vail area for bridge construction project," 21 Aug. 2019 The rapid bus line will be the first such system in San Francisco, with stops at center medians, and on-board technology to breeze through traffic signals. — Rachel Swan, SFChronicle.com, "City says it’s back on track with long-delayed Van Ness transit project," 18 Aug. 2019 The median can be influenced by the mix of properties on the market at any one time. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, courant.com, "Spring home buying market started out with a bang, then stalled in Greater Hartford in 2019," 17 Aug. 2019 The average age of Challenger buyers is 51, while the median age is 53, the youngest in the muscle car segment. — Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, "Dodge plays to muscle car niche with power, technology," 16 Aug. 2019 Nationally, a median-income household could afford more than 60 percent of homes sold that year. — Emily Deruy, The Mercury News, "Land values in these two states are growing faster than in California," 15 Aug. 2019 The county's median household income is $32,069, about $13,000 lower than the statewide median. — Orla Mccaffrey, Dallas News, "Jerry Jones gets a step closer to building $225 million casino in Arkansas," 14 Aug. 2019 This caused the Ford Escape, driven by 55-year-old Lee Johnson of Oakdale, Conn., to enter the median and rollover. — Maria Lovato, BostonGlobe.com, "Conn. man killed in two-car crash on Interstate 290 in Marlborough," 6 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The median annual salary buys just 12 square feet, an eighth as much as in New York or Tokyo. — The Economist, "The turmoil in Hong Kong stems in part from its unaffordable housing," 22 Aug. 2019 The median annual salary for paralegals was $49,500 in 2016, with the top 10 percent earning an annual salary of $80,260. — Emilia Benton, Houston Chronicle, "Paralegal field ups demand, offers worthwhile legal experience," 22 Aug. 2019 Eight of them pay better, on average, than the current median salary of $52,736. — Anne Fisher, Fortune, "Yes, You Can Find a Good Job Without a College Degree," 14 Aug. 2019 The most notable for UConn: Former Huskies have achieved the highest median salary of any school in the league since 1991. — Dom Amore, courant.com, "UConn men’s 13-game nonconference schedule highlighted by Florida, Villanova," 29 July 2019 The median salary of a Disney employee is $46,127, the company reported. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "Abigail Disney visited Disneyland. She is ‘livid’ about what she saw," 18 July 2019 The median salary of a Disney employee is $46,127, the company has reported. — Lydia Depillis, CNN, "Abigail Disney has a point. Paying more to rank-and-file workers can be good for business," 17 July 2019 This fiscal year, the employees' median salary is $53,217. — Jen Fifield, azcentral, "Glendale council will ask voters for 55% pay raise in November special election," 15 July 2019 The highest median annual salary for women was $66,700 at age 44, while men top out at $101,200 at age 55. — Robert Channick, chicagotribune.com, "Women’s soccer World Cup win puts gender pay gap on broader stage," 8 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'median.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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