outlier

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/ˈaʊtˌlaɪər/
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An unusually different data point, person, thing, or separated place that sits outside the main pattern or group.
Practice using outlier in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • A single outlier can pull the mean upward.
  • The hill is a geological outlier of the limestone formation.
  • That warm winter was an outlier in the climate record.
  • One salary was an outlier in the survey.
  • In that conservative town, her views made her an outlier.

Similar words

aberration
deviation
detached feature
irregularity
exception
outsider
anomaly
separate part
anomaly
oddity

Meanings

Unusual data point

noun
technical
neutral
A value or observation in a data set that is much higher, lower, or otherwise different from the rest.

Usage

Use outlier when a data point is far enough from the pattern to deserve attention. Do not assume it is an error until its cause has been checked.

Examples

  • One salary was an outlier in the survey.
  • The chart marks each outlier with a red dot.
  • A single outlier can pull the mean upward.
  • The team checked whether the outlier was a recording error.
  • Median income is less affected by outliers than mean income.
  • The model performed badly because several outliers were left in the data.

Common mistakes

An outlier data uses the noun as if it were an adjective. Use an outlier or an outlying data point.
IncorrectCorrect
This outlier data changed the average. This outlier changed the average.
We deleted outlier without checking it. We deleted the outlier without checking it.
The values is an outlier. The value is an outlier.

Similar words

anomaly
exception
aberration
deviation
extreme value
oddity
irregularity

Atypical person or thing

noun
everyday
neutral
A person, thing, event, or fact that is noticeably different from others in the same group.

Usage

Use outlier for a case that does not fit a pattern or group expectation. It is common in journalism, business, sport, and casual comparison.

Examples

  • In that conservative town, her views made her an outlier.
  • The company is an outlier because it grew during the recession.
  • His performance was not typical, it was an outlier.
  • The small school is an outlier among large universities.
  • That warm winter was an outlier in the climate record.
  • Among the finalists, she was an outlier in both age and background.

Common mistakes

He is outlier is missing the article. Use he is an outlier.
IncorrectCorrect
He is outlier in the class. He is an outlier in the class.
This country is outlier on the issue. This country is an outlier on the issue.
She is outlier than the others. She is more unusual than the others.

Similar words

exception
anomaly
oddity
outsider
deviation
rarity
special case

Separated place or feature

noun
technical
technical
A place, site, or geological feature that lies away from a main body but is related to it or classed with it.

Usage

Use outlier in geography, archaeology, and geology for something physically separate from a larger group. In geology it can name an isolated mass of rock surrounded by older rocks.

Examples

  • The island is an outlier of the archipelago.
  • Archaeologists mapped several outlier sites beyond the main settlement.
  • The hill is a geological outlier of the limestone formation.
  • The village began as an outlier of the old estate.
  • A few outliers lie far from the central cluster.

Common mistakes

An outlier from the main island is possible, but an outlier of the archipelago is often smoother when naming the larger group.
IncorrectCorrect
The site is outlier of the city. The site is an outlier of the city.
an outlier from the formation an outlier of the formation
The island is outlying of the chain. The island is an outlier of the chain.

Similar words

outlying site
satellite
exclave
detached feature
remote feature
separate part

Usage

Use outlier when difference from a pattern matters. In data, an outlier should be investigated before being removed. In everyday writing, it means a case that is notably unlike the rest.

Common mistakes

This outlier data should usually be this outlier or this outlying data point. As a noun for a person or thing, outlier normally needs an article: an outlier.

Etymology

Formed from outlie and the agent suffix -er. Older English uses described someone or something lying outside a usual place or group. The modern statistical sense grew from the same spatial idea of lying outside the main body of observations.

FAQ

What does outlier mean?

It means a data point, person, thing, or place that is noticeably different from the rest of a group or pattern.

What is an outlier in statistics?

It is a value or observation that is much different from the other values in a data set.

Is an outlier always a mistake?

No. It may be an error, but it may also be a real extreme value or a sign of a different pattern.

Can a person be an outlier?

Yes. A person can be an outlier if they are unusually different from others in the same group.

What is the plural of outlier?

The plural is outliers.

What is the difference between outlier and anomaly?

They overlap. Outlier is common in statistics and comparison, while anomaly often sounds more technical or unexpected.

Should outliers be removed from data?

Only after checking why they appear. Removing them automatically can hide real information or distort the analysis.

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