probability
prob-uh-BIHL-ih-tee
Probability (noun) means How likely something is to happen. Example: “There is a high probability that the train will be late again.”
noun
1
How likely something is to happen.
"There is a high probability that the train will be late again."
"What is the probability that you will finish your homework before dinner?"
"The probability of rain tomorrow is quite high."
2
In mathematics, a precise number between 0 and 1 representing the likelihood of an event.
"A fair coin has a probability of 0.5 of landing on heads."
"The teacher asked us to calculate the probability of rolling a six with one die."
"The probability of an event A occurring is denoted P(A)."
"The probability of flipping heads twice in a row is 0.25."
How to use probability
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow likely something is to happen, expressed loosely or as an exact number in math.
Common pairings
high probability
in all probability
probability of
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Word forms
- Plural
- probabilities
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There is a high _____ that the train will be late again.
Etymology
From Latin probabilitas, "credibility" or "likelihood," from probabilis, "provable" or "credible."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
improbability
Related words
Rhymes for probability
See all rhymes for probability →Frequently asked questions
What does “probability” mean?
The word “probability” means how likely something is to happen. In plain terms, how likely something is to happen, expressed loosely or as an exact number in math.
How do you pronounce “probability”?
“Probability” is pronounced prob-uh-BIHL-ih-tee (/ˌpɹɑb.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/ in IPA).
How do you use “probability” in a sentence?
Here is “probability” used in a sentence: “The probability of rain tomorrow is quite high.”
What is another word for “probability”?
Words with a similar meaning to “probability” include likelihood, likeliness, probableness and probality.
What part of speech is “probability”?
“Probability” is a noun.
Where does the word “probability” come from?
The word “probability” comes from Latin. From Latin probabilitas, "credibility" or "likelihood," from probabilis, "provable" or "credible.".
Is “probability” a common word?
“Probability” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “probability” have?
“Probability” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: how likely something is to happen.
What is the difference between probability and possibility?
Possibility concerns whether something can happen at all, while probability measures how likely it is to happen. Something can be possible yet have a very low probability, such as winning a lottery. In mathematics, probability is given a precise value between 0 and 1.
What is the difference between probability and odds?
Probability expresses the chance of an event as a number between 0 and 1, or as a percentage. Odds compare the chance of the event happening with the chance of it not happening, so a probability of 0.25 corresponds to odds of 1 to 3. The two are related but calculated differently.
Can a probability be greater than 1?
No. By definition, a probability is a number between 0 and 1, where 0 means an event is impossible and 1 means it is certain. Expressed as a percentage, probability always falls between 0% and 100%.
What is the difference between probability and likelihood?
In everyday English the two words are interchangeable, and dictionaries list likelihood as a synonym of probability. In technical statistics, however, probability describes the chance of an outcome, while likelihood measures how well a hypothesis explains data that has already been observed. Outside statistics, the distinction rarely matters.
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