a measure or estimate of the degree of confidence one may have in the occurrence of an event, measured on a scale from zero (impossibility) to one (certainty). It may be defined as the proportion of favourable outcomes to the total number of possibilities if these are indifferent (mathematical probability), or the proportion observed in a sample (empirical probability), or the limit of this as the sample size tends to infinity (relative frequency), or by more subjective criteria (subjective probability)
Examples of 'probabilities' in a sentence
probabilities
During the long stifling hours since the plane had landed she had had ample time to consider all the probabilities.
Forbes, Bryan A SONG AT TWILIGHT (2002)
All of the statements in the profile express probabilities and possibilities, not hard facts.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)
You can translate the probabilities into expected points.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The predictions we make are simply probabilities that accept the idea of randomness.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I knew that these tests would reveal probabilities, not fate.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This might suggest that the probabilities for today's final would be lopsided.
Times, Sunday Times (2018)
There is a favourite but the probabilities are pretty well spread.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
This allows us to provide the probabilities of different outcomes when any teams meet.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
And where there aren't facts there are high probabilities.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In any case, the best you can do is provide probabilities.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
All related terms of 'probabilities'
probability
The probability of something happening is how likely it is to happen , sometimes expressed as a fraction or a percentage .
prior probability
the probability assigned to a parameter or to an event in advance of any empirical evidence , often subjectively or on the assumption of the principle of indifference
classical probability
the probability of an event consisting of n out of m possible equally likely occurrences , defined to be n / m
empirical probability
a measure or estimate of the degree of confidence one may have in the occurrence of an event, defined as the proportion observed in a sample
marginal probability
(in a multivariate distribution ) the probability of one variable taking a specific value irrespective of the values of the others
posterior probability
the probability assigned to some parameter or to an event on the basis of its observed frequency in a sample , and calculated from a prior probability by Bayes ' theorem
relative probability
a measure or estimate of the degree of confidence one may have in the occurrence of an event, defined as the limit of the proportion observed in a sample as the sample size tends to infinity
conditional probability
the probability of one event , A, occurring given that another, B , is already known to have occurred: written P ( A|B ) and equal to P ( A and B )| P ( B )
mathematical probability
the probability of an event consisting of n out of m possible equally likely occurrences , defined to be n / m
subjective probability
a measure or estimate of the degree of confidence one may have in the occurrence of an event, defined by subjective criteria