bias
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bias¹
- /ˈbaɪ.əs/
Rhymes with -aɪəs
Where it comes from
c. 1520 in the sense "oblique line". As a technical term in the game of bowls c. 1560, whence the figurative use (c. 1570).
From Middle French biais, adverbially ("sideways, askance, against the grain") c. 1250, as a noun ("oblique angle, slant") from the late 16th century.
The French word is likely from Old Occitan biais, itself of obscure origin, most likely from Vulgar Latin *biaxius (“with two axes”).
noun biases · biasses
-
Inclination towards something.
Morality […] give[s] a bias to all their [men's] actions.
Similar: predisposition, partiality, prejudice, preference, predilection, parti pris · Opposite: balance
- The diagonal line between warp and weft in a woven fabric.
- A wedge-shaped piece of cloth taken out of a garment (such as the waist of a dress) to diminish its circumference.
- A voltage or current applied to an electronic device, such as a transistor electrode, to move its operating point to a desired part of its transfer function.
- The difference between the expectation of the sample estimator and the true population value, which reduces the representativeness of the estimator by systematically distorting it.
- In the games of crown green bowls and lawn bowls: a weight added to one side of a bowl so that as it rolls, it will follow a curved rather than a straight path; the oblique line followed by such a bowl; the lopsided shape or structure of such a bowl. In lawn bowls, the curved course is caused only by the shape of the bowl. The use of weights is prohibited. there is a concealed bias within the spheroid
- A person's favourite member of a K-pop band. The last thing you want is for your camera to die when you finally get that selca with your bias.
verb biases · biasses · biasing · biassing · biased
- To place bias upon; to influence. Our prejudices bias our views.
- To give a bias to. 2002, H. Dijkstra, J. Libby, Overview of silicon detectors, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 494, 86–93, p. 87. On the ohmic side n⁺ is implanted to provide the ohmic contact to bias the detector.
adjective more bias · most bias
-
Inclined to one side; swelled on one side.
Thou, trumpet, there’s my purſe; / Now cracke thy lungs, and ſplit thy braſen pipe: / Blow, villaine, till thy ſphered Bias cheeke / Out-ſwell the collicke of puft Aquilon: / Come, ſtretch thy cheſt, and let thy eyes ſpout bloud: / Thou bloweſt for Hector.
Similar: biased
- Cut slanting or diagonally, as cloth.
-
Synonym of biased (“exhibiting bias; prejudiced”).
Tom's vitality and energy were perfect for the role and I think Milos made the perfect choice! Am I bias? Certainly ... but for good reason!
Similar: biased
adverb
- In a slanting manner; crosswise; obliquely; diagonally. to cut cloth bias
Bias²
Where it comes from
From Ancient Greek Βίας (Bías).
proper noun
- One of the Seven Sages of Greece from Priene, living in the 6th century BCE.
Bias³
proper noun Biases
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: prejudice, predetermine, oblique, diagonal, partiality, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, selectivity, prejudgement, fairness, even-handedness, preference, discrimination, willingness
Translations
Every language
noun inclination towards something; predisposition, partiality
| Español | sesgo, bías, tendenciosidad |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 편견 pyeon'gyeon |
| 日本語 | 偏り katayori, 傾斜 keisha, 傾向 keikō, 偏見 henken, 思い込み omoikomi |
| 中文 | 偏見 /偏见 piānjiàn |
| हिन्दी | पक्षपात pakṣapāt, पूर्वाग्रह pūrvāgrah |
| Português | predisposição, inclinação, sugestão, pretendência, tendência, tendenciosidade |
| Français | préjugé, parti-pris |
| Deutsch | Voreingenommenheit, Neigung, Ausrichtung, Vorliebe, Verzerrung, Bias |
| Italiano | pregiudizio, predisposizione, inclinazione, tendenza, predilezione, preferenza |
| Ελληνικά | προκατάληψη prokatálipsi |
| Română | înclinație, preferință |
| Русский | предубежде́ние predubeždénije, предвзя́тость predvzjátostʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | thiên vị, thiên kiến |
| العربية | تَحَيُّز taḥayyuz |
| עברית | נטייה netiyá, הטיה hatayá, נטאי netáy, דעה קדומה deá kdumá |
noun electronics: voltage or current applied to electronic device
| Deutsch | Bias, Vorspannung |
|---|---|
| Italiano | polarizzazione |
| Русский | смеще́ние smeščénije |
noun statistics: difference between expectation and true value
| Español | sesgo |
|---|---|
| Português | enviesamento |
| Français | biais |
| Deutsch | Verzerrung |
| Italiano | distorsione |
| العربية | تَحَيُّز taḥayyuz |
verb to place bias upon
| 日本語 | 偏らせる katayoraseru, 傾斜させる keisha saseru |
|---|---|
| Italiano | influenzare, distorcere, condizionare, influire, orientare |
adj inclined to or swelled on one side
| Italiano | penzolante, inclinato |
|---|
adj cut slanting or diagonally
| Italiano | di sbieco |
|---|
adv in a slanting manner
| Español | al bies, al sesgo, en diagonal |
|---|---|
| Italiano | di sbieco, diagonalmente |
Talk about this word "bias." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/bias. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. bias. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/bias "bias." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/bias.Cite this
@misc{bias_2026,
title = {bias},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/bias},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
