Histogram

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈhɪstəˌɡɹæm/

Definitions

1. A graphical method for illustrating data distribution that plots the frequency of numerical values across specified ranges using contiguous bars
2. This data visualization technique represents how often each value occurs within defined intervals, aiding in the analysis of data distribution patterns
3. A type of chart that displays the distribution of numerical data by representing the frequency of values across specified intervals with adjacent rectangular bars

Etymology: Karl Pearson, the English mathematician, coined "histogram" in 1891, and the choice of name was never fully explained by its inventor. The most common explanation is that it combines Ancient Greek "histos," meaning "mast" (or, in a looser sense, something upright, like the ship's mast that a bar resembles), with "gramma," meaning "something written or drawn." Taken literally, the word would mean something like "upright drawing," which describes the tall bars of the chart well enough. Some writers instead suggest a blend of "historical" and "diagram," a plausible-sounding story that the Greek derivation does not support. The Greek-based explanation is the one usually preferred, though the uncertainty means the naming is less settled than the chart itself, which became a standard tool of statistics.

Synonyms: chart, graph, diagram