Median vs. Quantile — What's the Difference?

In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value.

In statistics and probability, quantiles are cut points dividing the range of a probability distribution into continuous intervals with equal probabilities, or dividing the observations in a sample in the same way. There is one fewer quantile than the number of groups created.

Relating to, located in, or extending toward the middle.

Each of any set of values of a variate which divide a frequency distribution into equal groups, each containing the same fraction of the total population.

(Anatomy) Of, relating to, or situated in or near the plane that divides a bilaterally symmetrical animal into right and left halves; mesial.

(statistics) One of the class of values of a variate which divides the members of a batch or sample into equal-sized subgroups of adjacent values or a probability distribution into distributions of equal probability.

(Statistics) Relating to or constituting the middle value in a distribution.

A median point, plane, line, or part.

The dividing area, either paved or landscaped, between opposing lanes of traffic on some highways. Also called regionally boulevard, mall, median strip, meridian, neutral ground.

(Statistics) The middle value in a distribution, above and below which lie an equal number of values.

A line that joins a vertex of a triangle to the midpoint of the opposite side.

The line that joins the midpoints of the nonparallel sides of a trapezoid.

A central vein or nerve, especially the median vein or median nerve running through the forearm and arm.

(geometry) A line segment joining the vertex of triangle to the midpoint of the opposing side.

(statistics) A number separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, population, or probability distribution. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to highest value and picking the middle one (e.g., the median of {3, 3, 5, 9, 11} is 5). If there is an even number of observations, then there is no single middle value; the median is then usually defined to be the mean of the two middle values.

(US) The area separating two lanes of opposite-direction traffic; the median strip.

(anatomy) Situated in a middle, central, or intermediate part, section, or range of (something).

In the middle of an organ, structure etc.; towards the median plane of an organ or limb.

(statistics) Having the median as its value.

Being in the middle; running through the middle; as, a median groove.

Situated in the middle; lying in a plane dividing a bilateral animal into right and left halves; - said of unpaired organs and parts; as, median coverts.

A median line or point.

The value below which 50% of the cases fall

Relating to or constituting the middle value of an ordered set of values (or the average of the middle two in an even-numbered set);

Dividing an animal into right and left halves

Relating to or situated in or extending toward the middle