bias
UK[ˈbaɪəs]US[ˈbaɪəs]
n
A strong feeling in favour of or against one group of people, or one opinion in an argument, often not based on fair judgement
n
An interest in one thing more than others; a special ability
n
The fact that the results of research or an experiment are not accurate because a particular factor has not been considered
n
A diagonal line across the weave of a fabric
v
To unfairly influence a person or a piece of information
Etymology
The word 'bias' entered English in the early 16th century from the Old French 'biais', meaning 'oblique, slant, slope'. The Old French term likely came from an Old Provençal word of uncertain origin, possibly from a Vulgar Latin root 'bifax' meaning 'two-faced'. The core idea of 'oblique line' or 'slant' gave rise to the fabric-weaving sense. This concrete meaning then evolved metaphorically: a diagonal line is a deviation from the straight grain, leading to the abstract senses of a 'leaning' of the mind, a 'slant' in perspective, and thus a prejudice or undue influence. The verb form developed naturally from these noun senses in the late 16th century.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Old French. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes in modern English based on its current spelling.
Examples
The newspaper was accused of showing bias in its reporting of the election.
She has a natural bias towards scientific subjects.
The researcher took steps to avoid bias in the data collection process.