statistic
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- nonstatistic adjective
- unstatistic adjective
Etymology
Origin of statistic
First recorded in 1815–20; back formation from statistics
Explanation
A statistic is a numerical piece of information. If you are trying to prove a point, and you want your argument to have a sense of authority, you might want to use a statistic to back up your claim. A statistic is a single piece of information represented by a number. “Water makes up 70% of the Earth’s surface,” for instance, is a statistic. A statistic is like a fact that is reached through a mathematical process. A population figure is the most common statistic you will encounter. When made plural, statistics means either a collection of statistics or the science of creating and interpreting statistics, as in “His favorite course in college was Statistics.”
Vocabulary lists containing statistic
Argumentative Writing
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Argumentative Writing, List 1
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Tears of a Tiger
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Or try this statistic: Only 11% of Americans have a power-of-attorney document in place, according to Trust & Will’s latest report on the state of estate planning.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
But after the statistic was clipped up and shared all over social media, venues in the city say the stats could be painting a false picture of the health of Newcastle's local scene.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
That statistic was higher among Gen Zs and millennials, with 41 percent saying they rely heavily on food delivery.
From Salon • Mar. 3, 2026
“There’s a statistic about men receiving flowers for the first time at their funerals, and I think we have changed that,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026
Since the day we enter this world we were a label, a number, a statistic, that’s just the way it is.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
