Quantiles

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Statistical values that segment a dataset into portions of equal size assist in understanding the distribution and variability present within the data
2. These are specific points that break down a dataset into equal groups, facilitating the analysis of trends and distributions
3. Values that divide a given data set into equal parts help in interpreting the distribution and identifying patterns within the data

Etymology: Quantile is a modern statistical coinage, not an old word given a new job. It is built from Latin "quantus," meaning "how much," which also gives English "quantity" and "quantum." The sense is "how much" in the sense of dividing a whole into measured portions. The ending "-ile" is the same one found in "percentile," and it comes through French from Latin "-ilis," meaning "relating to" or "suited to." That is why it appears in words such as "fertile" and "juvenile," which have nothing to do with division. The ending was attached to the "quant-" stem to name the cut points that split a distribution into equal parts, so the term's structure follows a pattern already familiar from older words.

Synonyms: percentiles, deciles, quartiles