distribution

The process of giving or delivering things to different people or places.

• Food distribution starts at noon.
• The company manages the distribution of books to shops.
• Flooding delayed the distribution of emergency supplies.

How to use it: distribution of something to someone (The distribution of food to families begins tomorrow.)

Similar words: delivery, handing out

Common phrases: food distribution, distribution of something, distribution network

The way things are spread across a place or among different groups.

• The distribution of trees is uneven.
• We studied the age distribution of the population.
• This chart shows the distribution of test scores.

How to use it: distribution of something across something (The map shows the distribution of trees across the island.)

Similar words: spread

Common phrases: uneven distribution, population distribution, distribution across something

The way money or wealth is divided among people in a society.

• Wealth distribution is very unequal.
• Taxes can change the distribution of income.
• The report compares wealth distribution across several countries.

How to use it: distribution of income/wealth (The policy aims to improve the distribution of income.)

Common phrases: income distribution, wealth distribution, distribution of wealth

The total number of copies of a publication sold or delivered to readers.

• The magazine has a distribution of 800 copies.
• Its monthly distribution doubled last year.
• The publisher reported lower distribution figures for the newspaper.

Similar words: circulation

Common phrases: magazine distribution, total distribution, distribution figures