average

average — noun

1. a single middle figure that stands for a whole group of numbers; you find it by

1.nounB1
Definition

a single middle figure that stands for a whole group of numbers; you find it by summing every number, then splitting that sum equally across however many numbers there were.

Example

Mei-Ling worked out the average of her five test scores using a calculator.

the average of [numbers]

The class read an average of twelve books each during the summer holiday.

an average of [number]

Common collocations
  • work out the average
  • calculate the average
  • the national average
  • an average of
Synonyms
  • mean

    more technical; the same idea in maths and statistics

  • median

    different measure: the middle value, not the sum-divided result

Grammar Patterns

the average of [numbers]

an average of [number]

Usage Note

Often appears in the fixed phrase 'an average of' before a number, and 'the average of' before a list or set being measured.

Common Mistakes

The average is 5 children.
The average number of children is 5.
when the average is not a whole thing, prefer 'the average number of X is …'.

2. the level or standard that you would normally expect from a group of people or t

2.nounB1
Definition

the level or standard that you would normally expect from a group of people or things — what most members of the group are like.

Example

Sofia's reading score is well above average for children her age.

above/below average

On average, students in this school study for two hours every evening.

on average

Common collocations
  • on average
  • above the average
  • below the average
  • the national average
Synonyms
  • norm

    more formal; emphasises the expected standard for a group

  • standard

    a level used to judge whether something is acceptable

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

above/below average

on average

Usage Note

Frequently appears without an article in fixed phrases: 'on average', 'above average', 'below average'. Distinguish from sense 1, which is a calculated number rather than a typical level.

Common Mistakes

In average, I read two books a month.
On average, I read two books a month.
the fixed preposition is 'on', not 'in'.

3. in cricket, a number used to show how well a player is performing, either the ty

3.noun
Definition

in cricket, a number used to show how well a player is performing, either the typical runs a batter makes per innings or the typical runs given up by a bowler before they get a wicket.

Example

The young batter from Mumbai finished the season with a batting average of fifty-two.

batting average of [number]

Coach Patel said his bowler had an excellent average of under twenty runs per wicket.

bowling average of [number]

Common collocations
  • batting average
  • bowling average
  • career average

Grammar Patterns

a batting/bowling average of [number]

Usage Note

Subject is usually a named cricketer; the figure follows 'of' or appears before 'runs per wicket'. Distinguish from sense 4, which is the baseball-only batting figure.

4. in baseball, a small decimal figure measuring how often a hitter succeeds at the

4.noun
Definition

in baseball, a small decimal figure measuring how often a hitter succeeds at the plate; you take their total hits and split that by how many times they came up to bat.

Example

The Dodgers' shortstop ended the year with a batting average of point three one zero.

batting average of [decimal]

Jose hit a home run on Friday and his average climbed back above point three hundred.

average climbed above [decimal]

Common collocations
  • batting average
  • season average
  • career batting average
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

a batting average of [number]

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 3 (cricket): baseball figures appear as small decimals like .310, while cricket averages are larger whole numbers.

average — verb

average — adjective

Word family

  • averagely
    adverbC1
  • averaging
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

All five words describe something that is not unusual, but they differ in tone and focus. 'Typical' is the most neutral: it means a clear example of its group, with no judgement of quality (a typical Sunday lunch). 'Normal' focuses on what is expected or healthy, often contrasted with 'abnormal'. 'Ordinary' is plain and common, with no positive or negative spin. 'Average', however, often hints at slight disappointment, especially with food, performance, or work — calling a meal 'very average' is gentle criticism. 'Mediocre' goes further: it openly says something is poorer than it should be. Compare: 'a typical school day' (just normal), 'an ordinary pen' (nothing special), 'an average essay' (a bit weak), 'a mediocre essay' (clearly weak).

average ↗ordinary ↗typical ↗normal ↗mediocre ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • on average
  • above average
  • below average
  • the national average
  • law of averages

Prepositions

  • above
  • below
  • on (in 'on average')
  • of (in 'an average of')

Etymology

ArabicItalianFrenchEnglish

The word came into English in the late 1400s through French and Italian trading words, originally meaning a financial loss shared between the owners of a damaged ship and its cargo. The deeper root is Arabic 'awariya', a term used by Mediterranean sea traders for goods damaged at sea. Because the cost was split equally between several parties, the word slowly took on the modern idea of 'a middle figure shared out evenly', and from the 1700s it became the everyday word for the mean of any set of numbers.