F distribution

noun

: a probability density function that is used especially in analysis of variance and is a function of the ratio of two independent random variables each of which has a chi-square distribution and is divided by its number of degrees of freedom

Word History

Etymology

Sir Ronald Fisher †1962 English geneticist and statistician

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of F distribution was in 1942

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“F distribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/F%20distribution. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation