weighting
AI-assisted draft · not yet reviewed by an editor · How we check entries
Meaning
The assignment of a numerical factor to a piece of data to make it more or less important in an overall calculation or average.
The fact of having a great deal of influence or importance.
Structure
Usage
The final grade uses a weighting of 70% for the exam and 30% for coursework.
The survey applied a demographic weighting to ensure the sample was representative of the population.
Her opinion carries significant weighting in the committee's final decision.
Etymology
The word 'weighting' is a transparent modern English formation, combining the noun 'weight' with the gerund-forming suffix '-ing'. Its core logic stems from the ancient concept of 'weight' as a measure, which itself evolved from the Proto-Indo-European root weǵʰ-, meaning "to carry" or "to move a vehicle." This root gave rise to the idea of the burden or heaviness of a carried object, which metaphorically extended to signify importance or value. In 'weighting', this concept is verbalized and then nominalized, capturing the action or result of assigning a relative heaviness, value, or importance to different elements within a system, such as in statistical analysis or decision-making.
Analysis
- weight: From Old English wiht, gewiht (a measure of weight, heaviness, importance). Origin: Proto-Germanic wihti-, from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- ("to carry, convey, move"). - ing: A suffix forming nouns from verbs, indicating an action, its result, or material. Origin: Old English -ing, -ung.