Keskimäärin

Keskimäärin is a Finnish adverb meaning “on average” or “in general.” It is used to describe a typical value across a group or data set, or to summarize results without focusing on individual observations. For example, it can introduce a statement about what is typical for most cases, such as “Keskimäärin osallistujat vastasivat myöntävästi.”

Etymology and form: Keskimäärin is formed from roots meaning “middle” and “amount,” with the adverbial suffix -in. It relates to the adjective keskivertainen meaning “average” or “typical,” as in keskivertainen arvo (average value) or keskivertainen pituus (average height).

Usage in language and statistics: In everyday language, keskimäärin conveys a general tendency or overall pattern. In statistical contexts it often points to the arithmetic mean or “tila­stollinen keskiarvo” of a dataset, though in formal writing the explicit term keskiarvo or tilastollinen keskiarvo is common. Keskimäärin differs from the adjective keskimääräinen, which describes something that is average or typical, such as “keskimääräinen pituus.”

Related terms and nuance: The noun form keskiarvo is standard for the mathematical mean, while keskimääräinen describes a property of being average. Keskimäärin emphasizes the collective result across many observations rather than a single item. In media and reports, the adverb helps summarize complex data into a single, comprehensible statement about the whole group.