Meaning & use
mean depth
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Meaning
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
The average depth of a body of water or a shape, found by dividing total volume or all measurements by area or by the number of measurements.
Grammar: Often used with 'the': the mean depth of the lake. Can also appear without 'the' in technical writing: mean depth was calculated.
Patterns
- the mean depth of something
- calculate the mean depth
- have a mean depth of X
The mean depth of the lake is about twelve meters.
Scientists measured the mean depth of the ocean floor along the route.
The bay has a mean depth of only three meters, so large ships cannot enter.
Common combinations
- mean depth of the ocean
- The mean depth of the ocean is roughly 3,700 meters.
- average depth
- The average depth of the pool is 1.5 meters.
- maximum depth
- The maximum depth of the lake is 50 meters.
- mean annual
- They reported the mean annual rainfall for the region.
Synonyms and how they differ
- average depth
- More common in everyday English; 'mean depth' is preferred in scientific and technical contexts.
Word family
Commonly confused: mean depth or average depth?
mean depth vs average depth
These mean the same thing, but 'average depth' is more common in general English while 'mean depth' is typical in technical writing.
Practice
The mean depth of the lake ___ about 20 meters.
Choose one answer.
'Mean depth' is a singular noun phrase, so it takes the singular verb 'is'. 'Are' would be used with a plural subject like 'mean depths'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mean depth”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.