What does averageness mean?
Averageness is a noun denoting the state or quality of being average — that is, ordinary, typical, or occupying a middle position between extremes of excellence and inferiority. It is most often used in evaluative contexts, such as reviews of food, art, performances, or experiences, where it describes something that neither impresses nor disappoints. Although the word itself is largely neutral, it frequently takes on a faintly negative coloring in practice, since calling attention to something's averageness usually implies that it failed to stand out. Writers may also use the term more philosophically, as in discussions of human ability or achievement, where acknowledging one's own averageness can signal humility or self-acceptance. Related forms include the adjective 'average' and the adverb 'averagely.' The word is useful precisely because it names a condition we rarely celebrate but constantly encounter.
nounThe quality or state of being average; the condition of being typical, ordinary, or intermediate rather than exceptional. It can also refer to the degree to which something conforms to an expected norm or midpoint.
- The state or quality of being ordinary or typical; conformity to a common standard.
- A neutral statistical or evaluative middle position between high and low quality.
"Despite the film's critical acclaim, its box-office performance reflected a certain averageness."
"The dish was pleasant enough, but its sheer averageness made it forgettable."
"He accepted his own averageness at chess with surprising equanimity, playing for enjoyment rather than mastery."
Rarely pluralized; the word is almost always used as an uncountable mass noun referring to a quality or condition.
"The critic noted the averagenesses that marred an otherwise promising debut novel."
The word 'average' originally referred to the division of shipping losses among merchants — so 'averageness' quietly descends from maritime insurance law.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of averageness
Averageness is formed from 'average,' a word with a striking maritime history. 'Average' entered English in the late 15th to early 16th century from Anglo-Norman and Old French 'avarie,' ultimately traced to Arabic 'ʿawāriya,' meaning damaged goods. It originally referred to the apportionment of financial loss from damaged cargo among the merchants whose goods were on board a ship. From this commercial sense, 'average' broadened by the 18th century to mean the arithmetical mean, and later still came to describe what is typical or ordinary. The suffix '-ness' simply converts this adjective into an abstract noun denoting the quality itself.
Related word forms
How averageness is actually used
Neutral in tone, though it often acquires mildly negative connotations when used to critique performance or quality. More common in evaluative and critical contexts than in everyday conversation.
Easily confused with averageness
Mediocrity carries a stronger negative judgment of poor quality, while averageness is a neutral description of being typical or middle-of-the-road.