standard error

noun

, Statistics.

1. the standard deviation of a distribution of a sample statistic, especially when the mean is used as the statistic.

standard error

noun

1. statistics the estimated standard deviation of a parameter, the value of which is not known exactly

standard error

1. The standard deviations of the sample in a frequency distribution, obtained by dividing the standard deviation by the total number of cases in the frequency distribution.

Word History and Origins

Origin of standard error¹

First recorded in 1895–1900