conditional probability
noun
Simple meaning
The probability that an event will take place given the restrictive assumption that another event has taken place.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kuhndishuhnuhlprahbuhbihluhteeSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
kənˈdɪʃənəlpɹɑbəbɪləti
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The probability that an event will take place given the restrictive assumption that another event has taken place, or that a combination of other events has taken place. (Mathematically, the definition would be that the conditional probability of B given A is equal to the joint probability of A and B divided by the probability of A.)
The probability that an event will occur given that one or more other events have occurred
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
This meaning: The probability that an event will take place given the restrictive assumption that another event has taken place, or that a combination of other events has taken place. (Mathematically, the definition would be that the conditional probability of B given A is equal to the joint probability of A and B divided by the probability of A.)
Used this way, conditional probability is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a mathematical use: it is defined precisely and belongs to working with figures and calculations rather than to ordinary conversation.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Mathematics
- Geometry
- Academic writing
- Education/classroom
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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