Mean: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ˜
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mean

 

[ miหn ]

Noun / Verb
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

in behavior

Intend to convey or indicate

Synonyms

imply, intend, signify.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
mean

Used when explaining the definition or sense of something.

  • What do you mean by that?
  • I didnโ€™t mean to hurt you.
intend

Used when talking about having a purpose or goal.

  • I intend to finish my project by tomorrow.
  • He didnโ€™t intend any harm.
signify

Used when indicating or being a sign of something. Often used in more formal or academic contexts.

  • Rising temperatures signify climate change.
  • The red flag signifies danger.
imply

Used when suggesting or hinting at something indirectly.

  • Are you implying that Iโ€™m lying?
  • Her tone seemed to imply that she was upset.

Examples of usage

  • I didn't mean to offend you
  • What do you mean by that?
Context #2 | Noun

average

The average of a set of values

Synonyms

average, median, mode.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
mean

Used in everyday conversation to imply rudeness or unkindness. It's also a term in mathematics where it represents the average value of a set of numbers.

  • She said some really mean things to him.
  • To find the mean, add up all the numbers and then divide by the count.
average

Commonly describes something typical or usual in everyday life. In mathematics, it's calculated by adding up a set of values and dividing by the number of values.

  • He's just an average student, neither top of the class nor at the bottom.
  • The average of 4, 8, and 6 is 6.
median

Primarily used in statistics and mathematics. It refers to the middle value in a list of numbers arranged in ascending or descending order.

  • The median salary in the company is $50,000, meaning half earn more and half earn less.
  • To determine the median, arrange the numbers and find the middle one.
mode

Mainly used in statistics to identify the most frequently occurring value in a set of data.

  • The mode of the set {2, 4, 4, 6, 7} is 4, as it appears most often.
  • In a list of favorite ice cream flavors, the mode would be the flavor chosen by most people.

Examples of usage

  • The mean of 5, 7, and 10 is 7.3
Context #3 | Verb

involving

Intend to convey or refer to (a particular thing)

Synonyms

indicate, refer to, signify.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
mean

When stating the importance, value, or worth of something.

  • This gift means a lot to me
  • ; Friendship means everything
signify

When expressing the importance, representation, or indication of something, often in a more formal or symbolic way.

  • The broken mirror signifies bad luck in some cultures
  • ; A nod can signify agreement
indicate

When pointing out, showing, or suggesting something often based on evidence or signals.

  • The red light indicates a problem with the engine
  • ; The survey results indicate a high level of satisfaction
refer to

When mentioning or alluding to specific information, people, or documents.

  • In his speech, he referred to several historical events
  • ; The term 'biodiversity' refers to the variety of life forms

Examples of usage

  • The word 'run' can mean different things in different contexts

Translations

Translations of the word "mean" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น significar

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฎเคคเคฒเคฌ เคนเฅ‹เคจเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช bedeuten

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ berarti

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะพะทะฝะฐั‡ะฐั‚ะธ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ oznaczaฤ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆ„ๅ‘ณใ™ใ‚‹

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท signifier

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ significar

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท anlamฤฑna gelmek

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์˜๋ฏธํ•˜๋‹ค

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูŠุนู†ูŠ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ znamenat

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ znamenaลฅ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆ„ๆ€ๆ˜ฏ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ pomeniti

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ รพรฝรฐa

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะผะฐา“ั‹ะฝะฐัั‹

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒœแƒ˜แƒจแƒœแƒแƒ•แƒก

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ mษ™nasฤฑnฤฑ vermษ™k

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ significar

Etymology

The word 'mean' has a long history in the English language. It has its roots in Old English and has evolved over time to take on multiple meanings and uses. From its origins as a verb meaning 'to have in mind as a purpose', it has expanded to encompass a range of senses, from indicating intention to expressing an average value. The word has been a staple of English vocabulary for centuries, adapting to the changing needs of its speakers.

See also: demean, demeaning, meaningless, meanly, meanness, means, meant, meantime, meanwhile, meanwhilst.

Word Frequency Rank

With position #421, this word is vital for basic English fluency. It appears very frequently in everyday language and should be among the first words you learn and actively use.