probability
Part of speech: noun
Morphological type: simple
Topics: mathematics
sciences
Etymology: From Middle French probabilité, from Latin probābilitās (“probability, credibility”), from probābilis (“probable, credible”).
Inflected forms:
form: probabilities
pos: noun
tags: plural
Senses:
gloss: The state of being probable.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: For, a man may with as great probability derive the Scots pedigree from the Gods, as from Scota that ſuppoſed and counterfeit daughter of the Ægyptian King Pharao, wedded (forſooth) unto Gaithelus, the ſonne of Cecrops founder of Athens. But, as this conceit ariſing from the unskilfulneſſe of Antiquitie, is of the better ſort of ingenuous Scots rejected: […]
Thus, firſt Traditions were a proof alone; / Cou’d we be certain ſuch they were ſo known: / But ſince ſome Flaws in long deſcent may be, / They make not Truth but Probability.
As Demonſtration is the ſhewing the agreement, or diſagreement of two Ideas, by the intervention of one or more Proofs, which have a conſtant, immutable, and viſible connexion one with another : ſo Probability is nothing but the appearance of ſuch an agreement, or diſagreement, by the intervention of Proofs, whoſe connexion is not conſtant and immutable, or at leaſt is not perceived to be ſo, but is, or appears for the moſt part to be ſo, and is enough to induce the Mind to judge the Propoſition to be true, or falſe, rather than the contrary.
Thus though this degree of faith is but one remove from disbelief, (denial) nevertheless as much probability is given to one side of the question as the other, and we stand, as it were, on an average between two.
gloss: An event that is likely to occur.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: These waters wash from the rocks such glistering tinctures, that the ground in some places seemeth as guilded, that better iudgements then ours might haue been perswaded, they contained more then probabilities.
As all experience shows, the probabilities are, that you will waste the rich treasure of your affection on one who has none to give in return, or who is wholly unworthy of the gift.
gloss: The relative likelihood of an event happening.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: Hoyle said that the probability of life originating on Earth is no greater than the chance that a hurricane, sweeping through a scrapyard, would have the luck to assemble a Boeing 747.
gloss: A number, between 0 and 1, expressing the precise likelihood of an event happening.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: The probability of an event A occurring is denoted P(A).
Synonyms: likelihood
likeliness
probableness
probality
Related words: probable
credence
odds
possibility
verisimilitude
Derived words: balance of probability
conditional probability
conditional probability distribution
equiprobability
experimental probability
frequency probability
high probability trade
improbability
in all probability
isoprobability
joint probability
nonprobability
posterior probability
prior probability
probabilistic
probability amplitude
probability box
probability density
probability density function
probability distribution
probability-generating function
probability mass function
probability measure
probability paper
probability process
probability space
probability theory
probit
propensity probability
quasi-probability
quasiprobability
sequential probability ratio test
theoretical probability
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