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

Many scholars have thought that young children, when learning new words, have an innate bias toward mutual exclusivity, which could explain how children learn some of their new words.

From Science Daily

She adds: "The particular claim we're making is that there is no inherent bias in children toward mutual exclusivity. The only reason we make the corresponding inference is because focus tells you that the word means something different from another word. When focus goes away, children don't draw those exclusivity inferences any more."

From Science Daily

Progress has been made, but research has shown that sex bias still exists.

From Science Daily

However, it denies any bias, pointing to the fact that some cases were self-referred by the country affected, or referred to it by the UN.

From BBC

Notably, the results also indicate that the model introduced no more bias compared with human observers.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• distort
• incline
• prejudice
• slant
• sway