median

The middle value in an ordered list of numbers, or the average of the two middle values.

• The median is ten.
• We calculated the median of the test scores.
• A few very high salaries barely changed the median.

How to use it: median of something (The median of these five numbers is twelve.)

Similar words: middle value

Common phrases: calculate the median, median of something, sample median

A strip of land or a barrier between traffic travelling in opposite directions.

• The car hit the median.
• Trees grow along the highway median.
• A concrete median separates the two directions of traffic.

Similar words: central reservation, divider

Common phrases: grassy median, highway median, median strip

A straight line from a corner of a triangle to the middle of its opposite side.

• Draw a median in this triangle.
• The three medians meet at one point.
• Each median divides the triangle into two equal areas.

How to use it: median of a triangle (Draw one median of the triangle.)

Common phrases: triangle median, draw a median, median of something

Describing the middle value when numbers are arranged from lowest to highest.

• The median age is thirty.
• Median house prices rose last year.
• What is the median income in this region?

Common phrases: median income, median age, median salary

Located in the middle part or area of something.

• The median line divides the design.
• A narrow band occupies the median region.
• The drawing shows the median section of the structure.

Similar words: central, middle

Opposites: outer

Common phrases: median line, median position, median section

Located in or towards the middle of a body part or structure.

• The diagram shows the median plane.
• A median section reveals the organ’s inner structure.
• The surgeon identified a small median opening.

Similar words: midline, central

Common phrases: median plane, median structure, median section