outlier

[ out-lahy-er ]

noun

1. something that lies outside the main body or group that it is a part of, such as a cow far from the rest of the herd, or a distant island belonging to a cluster of islands:

   The small factory was an outlier, and unproductive, so the corporation sold it off to private owners who were able to make it profitable.

2. someone who stands apart from other members of a group, such as by differing behavior, beliefs, or religious practices:

   There are a few scientists who are outliers in their views on climate change.

   Synonyms: outsider, heretic, iconoclast, dissenter, dissident, bohemian, eccentric, original, maverick, nonconformist

3. Statistics.
   1. an observation that is well outside of the expected range of values in a study or experiment, and which is often discarded from the data set:

      Experience with a variety of data-reduction problems has led to several strategies for dealing with outliers in data sets.

   2. a person whose abilities, achievements, etc., lie outside the range of statistical probability.
4. Geology. a part of a formation left detached through the removal of surrounding parts by erosion. Compare inlier.
5. Obsolete. a person residing outside the place of their business, duty, etc.

outlier

/ ˈaʊtˌlaɪə /

noun

1. an outcrop of rocks that is entirely surrounded by older rocks
2. a person, thing, or part situated away from a main or related body
3. a person who lives away from his place of work, duty, etc
4. statistics a point in a sample widely separated from the main cluster of points in the sample See scatter diagram

Word History and Origins

Origin of outlier¹

First recorded in 1600–10; out- + lier

Example Sentences

Tuesday's attack is not an outlier, though it is shocking for its death toll.

From BBC

If Los Angeles has a reputation for opera, it is as an outlier, a city freed from encrusted tradition and eager to invent.

From Los Angeles Times

Sure, Ann Selzer’s final poll before the election, which showed Harris ahead in the solidly red state of Iowa, may be an outlier.

From Slate

This Iowa poll may be an outlier and all the chatter about this remarkable result will end up being nothing more than election year lore.

From Salon

Most experts agree that early voting data cannot be compared to 2020, an outlier year because of the pandemic.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aberration
• deviation
• eccentricity
• exception
• oddity