distribution

/,distri'bju:ʃn/
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distribution

A delivery driver loads boxes onto a truck for distribution.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The act or process of giving out or delivering something to multiple recipients or locations: This refers to the systematic sharing, spreading, or apportioning of items, resources, or information.
    • The way in which something is spread or arranged over an area or among a group: This describes the spatial arrangement, pattern, or geographic spread of elements.
    • (Statistics) An arrangement of values of a variable showing their observed or theoretical frequency of occurrence: This is a technical term for a summary of how often different values appear in a dataset.
Usage
  • General Use: "Distribution" is commonly used to describe the logistics of getting products from manufacturers to stores or customers. It also describes how things are spread out in space or within a population.
  • Formal/Technical Use: In fields like statistics, biology, or linguistics, it has precise meanings related to patterns of occurrence or arrangement.
Examples
  • Commercial/Logistics:
    • The company improved its distribution network to deliver goods faster.
    • Efficient distribution is key to a successful business.
  • Spatial/Geographic Arrangement:
    • The map shows the population distribution across the country.
    • The distribution of rainfall is uneven in this region.
  • Statistical Arrangement:
    • The graph displays a normal distribution of test scores.
    • Analyzing the frequency distribution helps understand the data's pattern.
Advanced Usage
  • In Linguistics: "Complementary distribution" describes a relationship where two linguistic elements (like sounds) never appear in the same context.
    • The two allophones are in complementary distribution.
  • In Mathematics/Statistics: Terms like "probability distribution," "binomial distribution," or "skewed distribution" specify the mathematical model of frequency.
    • The Poisson distribution is often used to model rare events.
Variants and Related Words
  • Distribute (verb): To give out or deliver something to people or places.
    • They will distribute the flyers tomorrow.
  • Distributor (noun): A person or company that supplies goods to stores or other businesses.
    • He works as a film distributor.
  • Distributive (adjective): Relating to the act of distribution.
    • They studied the distributive effects of the new tax policy.
Synonyms
  • Dispersion: The action or process of distributing things or people over a wide area.
  • Allocation: The action or process of distributing resources or duties.
  • Circulation: The movement or passage of something through a system or area (e.g., blood, information, magazines).
Related Phrases
  • Distribution channel: The chain of businesses or intermediaries through which a good or service passes until it reaches the end consumer.
    • They used multiple distribution channels, including online and retail stores.
  • Wide/narrow distribution: Describing the extent of geographic or demographic spread.
    • The plant has a very wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica.
Idioms

(Note: "Distribution" itself is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions. The related verb "distribute" is used in some set phrases.) - To distribute evenly: To spread something out in a uniform manner. - Make sure to distribute the seeds evenly across the soil.

distribution

A delivery driver loads boxes onto a truck for distribution.

Noun
  1. the commercial activity of transporting and selling goods from a producer to a consumer
  2. the act of distributing or spreading or apportioning
  3. the spatial or geographic property of being scattered about over a range, area, or volume
    • worldwide in distribution
    • the distribution of nerve fibers
    • in complementary distribution
  4. (statistics) an arrangement of values of a variable showing their observed or theoretical frequency of occurrence