degree of freedom

noun phrase

1
: any of a limited number of ways in which a body may move or in which a dynamic system may change
2
: one of the capabilities of a statistic for variation of which there are as many as the number of unrestricted and independent variables determining its value

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of degree of freedom was in 1867

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Cite this Entry

“Degree of freedom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degree%20of%20freedom. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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