personal equation

noun

1. the tendency to personal bias that accounts for variation in interpretation or approach and for which allowance must be made.

personal equation

noun

1. the variation or error in observation or judgment caused by individual characteristics
2. the allowance made for such variation

Word History and Origins

Origin of personal equation¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

Above and beyond all these considerations, the personal equation comes in, sometimes very powerfully.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, one would be doing no great violence to language who defined this quality as the “personal equation” of a work.

From Project Gutenberg

Other and better men have noted the damage that the personal equation does to music, and some of them have even sought ways out.

From Project Gutenberg

They work out these things in the personal equation largely.

From Project Gutenberg

Such prejudices as our history has encouraged in us must be recognized, and computed in our personal equation.

From Project Gutenberg