stat

stat — noun

1. numerical facts that have been collected and studied together, used for comparin

1.nounB1
Definition

numerical facts that have been collected and studied together, used for comparing things or understanding a situation

Example

According to the latest crime stats, burglaries have fallen by fifteen percent.

the stats on [topic] show change

Joaquín studied the team's performance stats before the championship game.

possessive noun + stats: 'team's performance stats'

Common collocations
  • crime stats
  • employment stats
  • sales stats
  • performance stats
  • stats show
  • stats suggest
  • stats indicate
  • according to the stats
Synonyms
  • data

    more formal and broader in meaning, can include non-numerical information

  • figures

    also plural, emphasises the numerical aspect, slightly less technical

  • numbers

    informal, focuses on the individual quantities rather than the whole picture

Grammar Patterns

the stats on [something]

stats show / suggest / indicate

Usage Note

Frequently plural. Often refers to a broad collection of data about a topic rather than a single figure.

Common Mistakes

The stat shows that crime is falling' (when referring to a body of data).
The stats show that crime is falling.
Use the plural form 'stats' when talking about a collection of data.

2. one specific number or piece of numerical information that tells you something a

2.nounB1
Definition

one specific number or piece of numerical information that tells you something about a situation or subject

Example

Here is a surprising stat: over ninety percent of adults own a mobile phone.

introductory frame: 'Here is a [adjective] stat'

Ayana came across an alarming stat about road accidents in the report.

collocation: alarming stat

Common collocations
  • surprising stat
  • alarming stat
  • interesting stat
  • one stat
  • a stat about [topic]
Synonyms
  • statistic

    the full form of 'stat', preferred in formal writing

  • figure

    a specific number, often used in business or finance contexts

  • data point

    more technical, used in scientific and analytical contexts

Grammar Patterns

a surprising / alarming / interesting stat

Usage Note

Countable — you can say 'one stat', 'a few stats', 'several stats'. When you want to highlight a single surprising figure, this is the sense to use.

Common Mistakes

I read a stat that sixty percent of people...' (correct grammar, but often the plural 'stats' is used even for single items in informal speech).
I read a surprising statistic / a surprising stat: sixty percent of people...
Both are correct; 'a stat' is slightly informal.

stat — adverb

stat — abbreviation

stat — noun combining form

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to numerical information, but they differ in register, scope, and typical use. 'Statistics' is the most formal and technically precise — it implies systematic collection and analysis according to established methods. 'Data' is broader, including both numerical and non-numerical information, and is common in scientific and business contexts. 'Figures' often appears in journalism and reports to refer to published numbers, as in 'the latest unemployment figures'. 'Numbers' is the most informal and general, suitable for everyday conversation. 'Stats' (the shortened form of 'statistics') sits between 'statistics' and 'numbers' — less formal than 'statistics' but more specific than 'numbers'. For example: 'The stats from the marketing team show a rise in online sales' is natural and conversational, while 'The statistical analysis of the data revealed a significant trend' is appropriate for an academic paper.

data ↗figuresnumbersstatistics ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • crime stats
  • sales stats
  • employment stats
  • performance stats
  • stats report
  • stats page

Phrases

  • according to the stats
  • the stats show
  • the stats suggest
  • here's a surprising stat

Prepositions

  • stat on [topic]
  • stat about [topic]

Etymology

Indo-EuropeanGreekLatinEnglish

The noun 'stat' is a mid-20th century shortening of 'statistic' or 'statistics'. 'Statistics' was borrowed from German 'Statistik', coined around 1749 by Gottfried Achenwall from Latin 'status' (state, condition). The adverb 'stat' comes directly from Latin 'statim' (immediately) and has been used in medical prescriptions since at least the 19th century. The combining form '-stat' has a different origin — it comes from Greek '-statēs' (one that causes to stand), from 'histēmi' (to stand), via scientific Latin. So the 'stabilising device' sense (as in 'thermostat'), the 'reflecting instrument' sense (as in 'heliostat'), and the 'growth inhibitor' sense (as in 'bacteriostat') all trace back to the ancient Greek idea of 'making something stand still or steady' — though they entered English through different scientific borrowing pathways in the 19th and 20th centuries.