signifiest

Signifiest is a neologism used in informal statistics and data analysis to denote the most statistically significant item in a set of results. The term blends "significant" with the superlative suffix "-est," signaling top-ranking significance according to a predefined criterion. Although not an official statistical term, signifiest appears in tutorials, forum discussions, and some preprint materials as a convenient shorthand for the single result that stands out under the chosen rule, such as the smallest p-value or the largest effect size after adjustment for multiple comparisons.

Etymology and usage: The word emerged in the 2010s in informal academic contexts. It is typically used as a noun (the signifiest) or as a modifier in phrases like "the signifiest result." Analysts may specify the criterion used to select the signifiest, for example, a Bonferroni-corrected p-value threshold or a specified false discovery rate.

Calculation and interpretation: Identifying the signifiest requires a defined selection rule. It does not imply practical importance beyond the chosen criterion and should be interpreted cautiously, especially in the presence of multiple testing, data dredging, or small sample sizes.

Limitations: Relying on a single signifiest risks overstating significance and obscuring the broader pattern of results. Comprehensive reporting of all results, including effect sizes and confidence intervals, is recommended.

See also: Significance testing, p-value, multiple comparisons, effect size, false discovery rate.

Notes: As a nonstandard term, signifiest should be defined clearly when used in formal writing.