bias

¹

[ bahy-uhs ]

noun

1. a particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion, especially one that is preconceived or unreasoned:

   The hiring manager was found to have shown bias against job applicants who wore less expensive clothing.

   The magazine’s bias is toward art rather than photography.

   We need to set aside our strong bias in favor of the idea and evaluate it logically.

   Synonyms: leaning, bent, proclivity, partiality, predilection, preconception, predisposition

   Antonyms: impartiality

2. unreasonably hostile feelings or opinions about a social group; prejudice:

   The show’s host has faced accusations of racial bias.

3. an oblique or diagonal line of direction, especially across a woven fabric.
4. Statistics. a systematic as opposed to random distortion of a statistic as a result of sampling procedure.
5. Electronics. the application of a steady voltage or current to an active device, such as a diode or transistor, to produce a desired mode of operation.
6. a high-frequency alternating current applied to the recording head of a tape recorder during recording in order to reduce distortion.
7. Lawn Bowling.
   1. a slight bulge or greater weight on one side of the ball or bowl.
   2. the curved course made by such a ball when rolled.

adjective

1. cut, set, folded, etc., diagonally:

   This material requires a bias cut.

   I used bias binding to finish the garment.

adverb

1. in a diagonal manner; obliquely; slantingly:

   Cut your material bias for extra stretch.

verb (used with object)

, bi·ased, bi·as·ing or (especially British) bi·assed, bi·as·sing.

1. to cause to hold or exhibit a particular bias; to influence, especially unfairly:

   The defendant gave a tearful plea designed to bias the jury.

   The survey was heavily biased toward highly educated people.

   Synonyms: bend, predispose, dispose, incline

2. Electronics. to apply a steady voltage or current to (the input of an active device).

Bias

²

[ bahy-uhs ]

noun

1. flourished 570 b.c., Greek philosopher, born in Ionia.

bias

/ ˈbaɪəs /

noun

1. mental tendency or inclination, esp an irrational preference or prejudice
2. a diagonal line or cut across the weave of a fabric
3. electronics the voltage applied to an electronic device or system to establish suitable working conditions
4. bowls
   1. a bulge or weight inside one side of a bowl
   2. the curved course of such a bowl on the green
5. statistics
   1. an extraneous latent influence on, unrecognized conflated variable in, or selectivity in a sample which influences its distribution and so renders it unable to reflect the desired population parameters
   2. if T is an estimator of the parameter θ , the expected value of ( T–θ )
6. an inaudible high-frequency signal used to improve the quality of a tape recording

adjective

1. slanting obliquely; diagonal

   a bias fold

adverb

1. obliquely; diagonally

verb

1. usually passive to cause to have a bias; prejudice; influence

Derived Forms

• ˈbiased, adjective

Other Words From

• sub·bi·as noun
• su·per·bi·as noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bias¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Middle French biais “obliqueness,” from Old Provençal, probably from Vulgar Latin (e)bigassius (unrecorded), from Greek epikársios “oblique,” from epi- epi- + -karsios “oblique”; alternatively, from Vulgar Latin biaxius (unrecorded) “having two axes” ( bi-, axis )

Word History and Origins

Origin of bias¹

C16: from Old French biais , from Old Provençal, perhaps ultimately from Greek epikarsios oblique

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on the bias,
   1. in the diagonal direction of the cloth:

      Many of her designs were cut on the bias, making the fabric soft and fluid.

   2. out of line; slanting.

Synonym Study

Bias, prejudice mean a strong inclination of the mind or a preconceived opinion about something or someone. A bias may be favorable or unfavorable: bias in favor of or against an idea. Prejudice implies a preformed judgment even more unreasoning than bias, and usually implies an unfavorable opinion: prejudice against people of another religion.

Example Sentences

It urged the health system to take additional steps, including creating an online tool for patients to report incidents of suspected bias.

From Los Angeles Times

The church has said there is “zero evidence” to support such claims, and previously accused law enforcement of having a bias against the religion.

From Los Angeles Times

But the solution to that problem is to eliminate biases, not the programs themselves.

From Los Angeles Times

During the campaign, Trump has previously vowed to strip the licenses of TV channels that he considered to be biased.

From BBC

Yu said he thinks additional work needs to be done in California to fix a legal system he considers biased against people of color.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• distort
• incline
• prejudice
• slant
• sway

What Is The Plural Of Bias?

Plural word for bias

The plural form of bias is biases, pronounced [ bahy–uhs-eez ] or [ bahy–uhs-ehz ]. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -s are also formed this way, including alias/aliases, moss/mosses, and lens/lenses.

However, bias is often used as a mass noun, meaning that in some instances bias may be used as either a singular or a plural form. The plural form biasses is obsolete and should be avoided.