average
/ˈæv.ər.ɪdʒ/
noun
Origin
Arabic
ʿawār — a defect or damage to goods
Overview
Meaning Now
- A number expressing the central or typical value in a set of data, typically the arithmetic mean.
- A standard or level regarded as typical or ordinary.
Literal older meaning
damage sustained by a ship or its cargo
Language path
Arabic → Medieval Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
avaragium
Earliest period
15th century
Journey
The term originated in maritime commerce. If a ship encountered a storm and cargo had to be thrown overboard ('jettison') to save the vessel, the cost of the lost cargo was distributed proportionately among all merchants whose goods were on the ship; this distribution was called an 'average'.
Evolution
- Arabic
ʿawār
“blemish, flaw, or damage”
Source of the concept of proportional loss.
- Medieval Latin
avaria
“maritime loss or damage”
Used in commercial shipping contexts.
- Old French
averie
“customs duty or contribution to compensate for lost cargo”
Refers to the division of losses among stakeholders.
- English (17th century)
average
“the arithmetic mean”
Extended from distributing proportional loss to calculating any numerical average.
Connections
Related across languages
French
avarie
damage (to a ship)
Italian
avaria
damage or breakdown
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.