probability

prob·a·bil·i·ty

noun \ˌprä-bə-ˈbi-lə-tē\

plural prob·a·bil·i·ties

Definition of PROBABILITY

1

: the quality or state of being probable

2

: something (as an event or circumstance) that is probable

3

a (1) : the ratio of the number of outcomes in an exhaustive set of equally likely outcomes that produce a given event to the total number of possible outcomes (2) : the chance that a given event will occur b : a branch of mathematics concerned with the study of probabilities

4

: a logical relation between statements such that evidence confirming one confirms the other to some degree

Examples of PROBABILITY

1. There is a low probability that you will be chosen.
2. There is some probability of rain tomorrow.
3. With the dark clouds moving in, rain seems more like a probability than a possibility.
4. The probability of a coin coming up heads is one out of every two tries.

First Known Use of PROBABILITY

15th century

Related to PROBABILITY

Synonyms: liability, likelihood

Antonyms: improbability, unlikelihood, unlikeliness

Related Words: credibility, plausibility, plausibleness; feasibility, feasibleness, possibility, potentiality, reasonability, reasonableness, viability

Near Antonyms: doubtfulness, dubiousness; impracticability, impracticality; implausibility, incredibility, incredibleness

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Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, exponent, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb

Rhymes with PROBABILITY

actability, affability, arability, audibility, bankability, bearability, biddability, breathability, brushability, capability, changeability, clubbability, coilability, contractility, countability, credibility, crossability, culpability, curability, cutability, disability, disutility, drapability, drillability, drinkability, drivability, durability, dyeability, edibility, equability, erectility, fallibility, feasibility, fishability, flammability, flexibility, forgeability, formability, frangibility, friability, fungibility, fusibility, gullibility, hatchability, ignobility, imbecility, immobility, inability, incivility, indocility, infantility, infertility, instability, inutility, juvenility, leachability, legibility, liability, likability, livability, lovability, mailability, meltability, miscibility, movability, mutability, notability, packability, placability, plausibility, playability, pliability, portability, possibility, potability, pregnability, prehensility, printability, puerility, readability, rentability, risibility, roadability, salability, sensibility, sewability, shareability, sociability, solubility, solvability, spreadability, squeezability, stainability, stretchability, suitability, tenability, testability, traceability, trainability, treatability, tunability, usability, vendibility, versatility, viability, visibility, volatility, washability, wearability, wettability, workability