noun
median
MEE-deern
noun
1
The middle value in a set of numbers arranged from smallest to largest.
"The median salary at the company was lower than the average because a few executives earned huge sums."
"To find the median of five test scores, line them up in order and pick the one in the middle."
2
The strip of land separating opposite lanes of traffic on a road.
"The car spun out and crossed into the median."
adj
1
Relating to or forming a middle point or value.
"The median age of the town's residents has been rising for years."
How to Use Median
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIn statistics, the middle number in an ordered list; in traffic, the strip dividing a road.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "mean" (average) — the median ignores extreme values, which is why it's used for things like income where a few very high earners would skew an average.
Common pairings
median income
median value
road median
Word Forms
medians plural, Medians plural
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The _____ salary at the company was lower than the average because a few executives earned huge sums.
Etymology
From Latin mediānus, "of the middle," from medius ("middle").