# Mean vs. Meen - What's the difference?

### Wikipedia

• Mean

There are several kinds of mean in various branches of mathematics (especially statistics). For a data set, the arithmetic mean, also called the mathematical expectation or average, is the central value of a discrete set of numbers: specifically, the sum of the values divided by the number of values. The arithmetic mean of a set of numbers x1, x2, ..., xn is typically denoted by x ¯ {\displaystyle {\bar {x}}} , pronounced "x bar". If the data set were based on a series of observations obtained by sampling from a statistical population, the arithmetic mean is the sample mean (denoted x ¯ {\displaystyle {\bar {x}}} ) to distinguish it from the mean of the underlying distribution, the population mean (denoted μ {\displaystyle \mu } or μ x {\displaystyle \mu _{x}} ).In probability and statistics, the population mean, or expected value, are a measure of the central tendency either of a probability distribution or of the random variable characterized by that distribution. In the case of a discrete probability distribution of a random variable X, the mean is equal to the sum over every possible value weighted by the probability of that value; that is, it is computed by taking the product of each possible value x of X and its probability p(x), and then adding all these products together, giving μ = ∑ x p ( x ) {\displaystyle \mu =\sum xp(x)} . An analogous formula applies to the case of a continuous probability distribution. Not every probability distribution has a defined mean; see the Cauchy distribution for an example. Moreover, for some distributions the mean is infinite. For a finite population, the population mean of a property is equal to the arithmetic mean of the given property while considering every member of the population. For example, the population mean height is equal to the sum of the heights of every individual divided by the total number of individuals. The sample mean may differ from the population mean, especially for small samples. The law of large numbers dictates that the larger the size of the sample, the more likely it is that the sample mean will be close to the population mean.Outside probability and statistics, a wide range of other notions of "mean" are often used in geometry and analysis; examples are given below.

### Wiktionary

• Mean (verb)

To intend.

• Mean (verb)

To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention. from 8th c.

"I didn't mean to knock your tooth out."

"I mean to go to Baddeck this summer."

"I meant to take the car in for a smog check, but it slipped my mind."

• Mean (verb)

To have intentions of a given kind. from 14th c.

"Don't be angry; she meant well."

• Mean (verb)

To convey meaning.

• Mean (verb)

To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate; to predestine. from 16th c.

"Actually this desk was meant for the subeditor."

"Man was not meant to question such things."

• Mean (verb)

To convey (a given sense); to signify, or indicate (an object or idea). from 8th c.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean."

"The sky is red this morning—does that mean we're in for a storm?"

• Mean (verb)

To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says). from 18th c.

"Does she really mean what she said to him last night?"

"Say what you mean and mean what you say."

• Mean (verb)

To result in; to bring about. from 19th c.

"One faltering step means certain death."

• Mean (verb)

To be important (to). from 19th c.

"My home life means a lot to me."

• Mean (verb)

To lament.

Common; general.

Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.

"a man of mean parentage"

"/ a mean abode"

Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.

"a mean appearance"

"/ mean dress"

Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.

"a mean motive"

Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.

Ungenerous; stingy, tightfisted; North American English: cheap; formal: niggardly, penurious, miserly.

"He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his children."

Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating; small.

Selfish; acting without consideration of others; unkind.

"It was mean to steal the girl's piggy bank, but he just had to get uptown and he had no cash of his own."

Causing or intending to cause intentional harm; bearing ill will towards another; cruel; malicious.

"Watch out for her, she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she punched me in the nose."

Powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging.

"It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town."

Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.

"Your mother can roll a mean cigarette."

"He hits a mean backhand."

Difficult, tricky.

"This problem is mean!"

Having the mean (see noun below) as its value.

Middling; intermediate; moderately good, tolerable.

• Mean (noun)

A method or course of action used to achieve some result. from 14th c.

• Mean (noun)

An intermediate step or intermediate steps.

• Mean (noun)

Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium. from 14th c.

• Mean (noun)

The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument. from 15th c.

• Mean (noun)

The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms; the arithmetic mean. from 15th c.

• Mean (noun)

Any function of multiple variables that satisfies certain properties and yields a number representative of its arguments; or, the number so yielded; a measure of central tendency.

• Mean (noun)

Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6.

### Oxford Dictionary

• Mean (verb)

intend to convey or refer to (a particular thing); signify

"I don't know what you mean"

"I meant you, not Jones"

"he was asked to clarify what his remarks meant"

• Mean (verb)

(of a word) have (something) as its signification in the same language or its equivalent in another language

"its name means ‘painted rock’ in Cherokee"

• Mean (verb)

genuinely intend to express (something)

"when she said that she meant it"

• Mean (verb)

be of a specified degree of importance to (someone)

"animals have always meant more to him than people"

• Mean (verb)

intend (something) to occur or be the case

"it was meant to be a secret"

"they mean no harm"

• Mean (verb)

be supposed to do something

"we were meant to go over yesterday"

• Mean (verb)

design or destine for a particular purpose

"the jacket was meant for a much larger person"

• Mean (verb)

have something as a motive or explanation in saying or doing

"what do you mean by leaving me out here in the cold?"

• Mean (verb)

be generally considered to be

"this one's meant to be priceless"

• Mean (verb)

have as a consequence or result

"the proposals are likely to mean another hundred closures"

"heavy rain meant that the pitch was waterlogged"

• Mean (verb)

necessarily or usually entail or involve

"coal stoves mean a lot of smoke"

unwilling to give or share things, especially money; not generous

"they're not mean with the garlic"

"she felt mean not giving a tip"

unkind, spiteful, or unfair

"I was mean to them over the festive season"

vicious or aggressive in behaviour

"the dogs were considered mean, vicious, and a threat"

(especially of a place) poor in quality and appearance; shabby

"her home was mean and small"

(of a person's mental capacity or understanding) inferior

"it was obvious to even the meanest intelligence"

of low birth or social class

"a muffler like that worn by the meanest of people"

very skilful or effective; excellent

"she dances a mean tango"

"he's a mean cook"

(of a quantity) calculated as a mean; average

"participants in the study had a mean age of 35 years"

equally far from two extremes

"hope is the mean virtue between despair and presumption"

• Mean (noun)

the value obtained by dividing the sum of several quantities by their number; an average

"acid output was calculated by taking the mean of all three samples"

• Mean (noun)

a condition, quality, or course of action equally removed from two opposite extremes

"the measure expresses a mean between saving and splashing out"

### Webster Dictionary

• Mean

To have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do?

• Mean

To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote.

• Mean (verb)

To have a purpose or intention.

Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble.

Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive.

Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.

Of poor quality; as, mean fare.

Penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality.

Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes.

Intermediate in excellence of any kind.

Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day.

• Mean (noun)

That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure.

• Mean (noun)

A quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the nth root of the product of the n quantities being averaged.

• Mean (noun)

That through which, or by the help of which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired; intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent; instrument.

• Mean (noun)

Resources; property, revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood, or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose; disposable force or substance.

• Mean (noun)

A part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part.

• Mean (noun)

Meantime; meanwhile.

• Mean (noun)

A mediator; a go-between.

### Princeton's WordNet

• Mean (noun)

an average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n

• Mean (verb)

mean or intend to express or convey;

"You never understand what I mean!"

"what do his words intend?"

• Mean (verb)

have as a logical consequence;

"The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers"

• Mean (verb)

denote or connote;

"maison' means house' in French"

"An example sentence would show what this word means"

• Mean (verb)

have in mind as a purpose;

"I mean no harm"

"She didn't think to harm me"

"We thought to return early that night"

• Mean (verb)

have a specified degree of importance;

"My ex-husband means nothing to me"

"Happiness means everything"

• Mean (verb)

intend to refer to;

"I'm thinking of good food when I talk about France"

"Yes, I meant you when I complained about people who gossip!"

• Mean (verb)

destine or designate for a certain purpose;

"These flowers were meant for you"

approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value;

"the average income in New England is below that of the nation"

"of average height for his age"

"the mean annual rainfall"

characterized by malice;

"a hateful thing to do"

"in a mean mood"

having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality;

"that liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble"

"chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort"

"something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics"

excellent;

"famous for a mean backhand"

marked by poverty befitting a beggar;

"a beggarly existence in the slums"

"a mean hut"

used of persons or behavior; characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity;

"a mean person"

"he left a miserly tip"