What does distribution mean?

Definitions for distribution
ˌdɪs trəˈbyu ʃəndis·tri·bu·tion

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word distribution.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. distribution, statistical distributionnoun

    (statistics) an arrangement of values of a variable showing their observed or theoretical frequency of occurrence

  2. distribution, dispersionnoun

    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"

  3. distributionnoun

    the act of distributing or spreading or apportioning

  4. distributionnoun

    the commercial activity of transporting and selling goods from a producer to a consumer

Wiktionary

  1. distributionnoun

    An act of distributing or state of being distributed.

  2. distributionnoun

    An apportionment by law (of funds, property).

  3. distributionnoun

    The process by which goods get to final consumers over a geographical market, including storing, selling, shipping and advertising.

  4. distributionnoun

    The frequency of occurrence or extent of existence.

  5. distributionnoun

    Anything distributed; portion; share

  6. distributionnoun

    The result of distributing; arrangement.

  7. distributionnoun

    A probability distribution; the set of relative likelihoods that a variable will have a value in a given interval.

  8. distributionnoun

    A set of bundled software components; distro.

  9. distributionnoun

    The apportionment of income or wealth in a population.

    The wealth distribution became extremely skewed in the kleptocracy.

  10. distributionnoun

    The process or result of the sale of securities, especially their placement among investors with long-term investment strategies.

  11. Etymology: From distributio, from distribuere 'to distribute', itself from dis- 'apart' + tribuere 'to ' (from tribus).

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Distributionnoun

    Etymology: distributio, Latin.

    Of great riches there is no real use, except it be in the distribution. Francis Bacon, Essays.

    Providence has made an equal distribution of natural gifts, whereof each creature severally has a share. Roger L'Estrange.

    Every man in a great station would imitate the queen in the distribution of offices in his disposal. Jonathan Swift.

    Let us govern our charitable distributions by this pattern of nature, and maintain a mutual circulation of benefits and returns. Francis Atterbury, Sermons.

ChatGPT

  1. distribution

    Distribution refers to the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by an end user. This might involve transportation, warehousing, or packaging. It can also refer to the way something is spread or dispersed across a particular area or among a specific population. In statistics and mathematics, distribution often describes the frequency or pattern of a spread of numbers or variables.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Distributionnoun

    the act of distributing or dispensing; the act of dividing or apportioning among several or many; apportionment; as, the distribution of an estate among heirs or children

  2. Distributionnoun

    separation into parts or classes; arrangement of anything into parts; disposition; classification

  3. Distributionnoun

    that which is distributed

  4. Distributionnoun

    a resolving a whole into its parts

  5. Distributionnoun

    the sorting of types and placing them in their proper boxes in the cases

  6. Distributionnoun

    the steps or operations by which steam is supplied to and withdrawn from the cylinder at each stroke of the piston; viz., admission, suppression or cutting off, release or exhaust, and compression of exhaust steam prior to the next admission

Wikidata

  1. Distribution

    Product distribution is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. Distribution is the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user, using direct means, or using indirect means with intermediaries. The other three parts of the marketing mix are product, pricing, and promotion.

The New Hacker's Dictionary

  1. distribution

    1. A software source tree packaged for distribution; but see kit. Since about 1996 unqualified use of this term often implies ‘Linux distribution’. The short form distro is often used for this sense. 2. A vague term encompassing mailing lists and Usenet newsgroups (but not BBS fora); any topic-oriented message channel with multiple recipients. 3. An information-space domain (usually loosely correlated with geography) to which propagation of a Usenet message is restricted; a much-underutilized feature.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

  1. distribution

    1. The arrangement of troops for any purpose, such as a battle, march, or maneuver. 2. A planned pattern of projectiles about a point. 3. A planned spread of fire to cover a desired frontage or depth. 4. An official delivery of anything, such as orders or supplies. 5. The operational process of synchronizing all elements of the logistic system to deliver the

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. distribution

    Means, generally, any division or allotment made for the purposes of war; also minor arrangements made for the supply of corps.

Editors Contribution

  1. distribution

    The act and process of to share.

    The distribution centre was created to organize and arrange for the distribution of goods and products efficiently.


    Submitted by MaryC on March 14, 2020  


  2. distribution

    To share.

    Distribution of income is vital and just within society.


    Submitted by MaryC on February 13, 2020  

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'distribution' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1621

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'distribution' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2937

  3. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'distribution' in Nouns Frequency: #720

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce distribution?

How to say distribution in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of distribution in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of distribution in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of distribution in a Sentence

  1. An FCPS spokesperson:

    The only data we share with Panorama for students who are opted out of the screener is the student’s name, student ID, school, and grade level, this allows Panorama to confirm that all students who are opted out of the screener are actually removed from their distribution list and do not receive an electronic link to the screener during the administration window. Essentially, this is a quality control mechanism.

  2. Amit Gupta:

    Electricity is a big problem here, it often cuts (off) several times a day, so these buildings are structured in a way that prevents overheating. The curvatures allow for an even distribution of wind for an enhanced cooling effect.

  3. Jared Leadbetter:

    There is a whole set of environmental engineering literature on drinking-water-distribution systems getting clogged by manganese oxides, but how and for what reason such material is generated there has remained an enigma. Clearly, many scientists have considered that bacteria using manganese for energy might be responsible, but evidence supporting this idea was not available until now.

  4. Zaw Htay:

    The distribution of these satellite dishes has nothing to do with Soe Thein election campaign, being a member of the cabinet, he did it on behalf of the government as a part of the government's development scheme in far-flung areas.

  5. Samantha Smith:

    We cannot allow the fossil fuel industry, whose products are the main cause of climate change, to take the limited funds intended for responding to the devastating impacts of climate change, renewable energy must be prioritized in the distribution of climate funding and fossil fuels excluded.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

distribution#1#1219#10000

Translations for distribution

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • توزيعArabic
  • разпределение, разпределяне, разпространениеBulgarian
  • distribuce, rozděleníCzech
  • Gliederung, Streuung, Absatz, Aufteilung, Distribution, Verbreitung, AusteilungGerman
  • διανομή, μοιρασιά, κατανομήGreek
  • disvastiĝo, distribuado, disdonoEsperanto
  • distribuciónSpanish
  • jaotus, jaotisEstonian
  • توزیعPersian
  • osa, levitys, osuus, levittäminen, jakelu, jakauma, jako, levikki, jakaminenFinnish
  • distributionFrench
  • leatachtIrish
  • sgaoileadhScottish Gaelic
  • eloszlásHungarian
  • distribuzioneItalian
  • 分布, 配分, 配布Japanese
  • diaeresis, distribūtiōLatin
  • spreiding, verdeling, distributie, opdeling, verspreiding, uitdelingDutch
  • rozkład, dystrybucjaPolish
  • parte, porção, arranjo, distribuiçãoPortuguese
  • distribuție, distribuireRomanian
  • распределение, раздача, распространениеRussian
  • дистрибуција, раздиоба, расподјела, dostava, rȁspodjela, distribúcija, ràzdioba, достоваSerbo-Croatian
  • tilldelning, fördelning, utdelning, distributionSwedish
  • phân phátVietnamese

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"distribution." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 20 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/distribution>.

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