Meaning & use

bell-shaped curve

noun·Academic

A symmetrical curve, shaped like a bell, that represents a normal distribution of data around an average.

See it in a sentence

Test scores across the large class formed a fairly typical bell-shaped curve.

Heights within a population usually follow a bell-shaped curve centered on the average height.

A note on using this word

Most values on a bell-shaped curve cluster near the middle, with fewer and fewer cases toward each extreme.

Words with a similar meaning

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