distribution

D2I1S1T1R1I1B3U1T1I1O1N1
UK/ˌdɪstɹɪˈbjuːʃən/Canada, US/ˌdɪstɹɪˈbjuʃən/Canada, US/ˌdɪstɹəˈbjuʃən/Australia/ˌdɪstɹɪˈbjʉːʃən/

noun

An act of distributing or state of being distributed.

“December 6, 1709, Francis Atterbury, a sermon preach'd before the sons of the clergy at their anniversary-meeting in the Church of St. Paul our charitable distributions”

Similar
distrostatistical distributiondispersion
Very commonScrabble 15

Meanings

noundistribution (countable and uncountable, plural distributions)

plural distributions · alternative obsolete distribucion

  1. countableuncountableAn act of distributing or state of being distributed.
  2. countableuncountableAn apportionment by law (of funds, property).
  3. countableuncountablebusinessThe process by which goods get to final consumers over a geographical market, including storing, selling, shipping and advertising.
  4. countableuncountableAnything distributed; portion; share.

    December 6, 1709, Francis Atterbury, a sermon preach'd before the sons of the clergy at their anniversary-meeting in the Church of St. Paul our charitable distributions

  5. countableuncountableThe result of distributing; arrangement.

    To specify the effect of flutter with one figure can be extremely misleading, for it says nothing about the distribution of flutter in the spectrum of interest.

    1979, J. Strackee, Robert S. Reneman, editor, Data in Medicine: Collection, Processing and Presentation: A Physical-Technical Introduction for Physicians and Biologists, Springer Netherlands, page 200
    1 more example

    A group of Thai researchers found the spider during an expedition to Phang-Nga province in southern Thailand to research the diversity and distribution of tarantulas in the country.

    2023 September 26, Hafsa Khalil, “Electric blue tarantula species discovered in Thailand”, in CNN, archived from the original on 20 Nov 2024
  6. countableuncountableThe total number of something sold or delivered to the clients.

    The distribution of my little rock magazine is about 3,000.

  7. countableuncountableThe frequency of occurrence or extent of existence.
  8. countableuncountableeconomicsThe apportionment of income or wealth in a population.

    The wealth distribution became extremely skewed in the kleptocracy.

  9. countableuncountablecard gamesThe way in which a player's hand is divided in suits, or in which a particular suit is divided between the players.

    The declarer had 3-6-2-2 distribution.

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

    Similarly, the brain-penetrating Hrh2 antagonist zolantidine had no effect on light-induced phase shift as shown for hamsters, or the lengths or distributions of NREM, REM and wakefulness states as shown on rats.

    2015 December 11, “On the Role of Histamine Receptors in the Regulation of Circadian Rhythms”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI, archived from the original on 21 Jan 2025
    2 more examples

    In fact, NALP has been at the forefront of educating prospective lawyers on the dangers of focusing on “average” starting salaries. The average is meaningless. The median is just slightly more helpful, and NALP has been begging people to pay attention to the bimodal salary distribution curve that tells the true story of how much lawyers are likely to get paid.

    2010 July 23, Elie Mystal, “NALP Gives More Information on Expected Lawyer Salary”, in Above the Law, archived from the original on 15 Oct 2023

    The criterion for positivity was determined for each antigen of each species applying a mixture model to the PP data which assumed two inherent Gaussian distributions: a narrow distribution or seronegatives, and a broader distribution of seropositives.

    2015 September 11, “Hotspots of Malaria Transmission in the Peruvian Amazon: Rapid Assessment through a Parasitological and Serological Survey”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI, archived from the original on 12 Mar 2024
  11. countableuncountabledifferential geometrymathematicsA subset of the tangent bundle of a manifold that satisfies certain properties; used to construct the notions of integrability and foliation of a manifold.
  12. countableuncountablecomputingA set of bundled software components.

    a Linux distribution

    Synonyms: distro

  13. countableuncountablebusinessThe process or result of the sale of securities, especially their placement among investors with long-term investment strategies.
  14. countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe resolution of a whole into its parts.
  15. countablehistoricaluncountablemediaThe process of sorting the types and placing them in their proper boxes in the cases.
  16. countableuncountablesteam enginesThe steps or operations by which steam is supplied to and withdrawn from the cylinder at each stroke of the piston: admission, suppression or cutting off, release or exhaust, and compression of exhaust steam prior to the next admission.
  17. countablerhetoricuncountableA rhetorical technique in which a subject is divided into multiple cases based on some property or properties, and each case is addressed individually.

    Diſtribution, in Rhetoric, a Kind of Deſcription; or a Figure, whereby an orderly Diviſion, and Enumeration is made of the principal Qualities of a Subject.

    1728, Ephraim Chambers, Cyclopædia I, page 230/2 s.v. “Diſtribution²”
    1 more example

    It is alſo called a diſtribucion, when we diuide the whole, into ſeuerall partes, and ſaie we haue foure poynctes, whereof we purpoſe to ſpeake, compꝛehendyng our whole talke within compaſſe of theſame.

    1553, Thomas Wilson, The Arte of Rhetorique (1962), book iii, folio 99, page 209 s.v. “Diſtribucion”

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA set of bundled software components.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

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

Similar
statistical distribution

nounthe spatial or geographic property of being scattered about over a range, area, or volume

Similar
Broader
spacingspatial arrangement

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindistributio
  2. Old Frenchdistribution
  3. Englishdistribution

From Old French distribution, from Latin distributio, from distribuere (“to distribute”), itself from dis- (“apart”) + tribuere (“to assign, allot”) (from tribus). By surface analysis, distribute + -ion.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek διανομή
  • διανομή (dianomḗ)act of distribution or being distributed
Arabic تَوْزِيع, تَوْزِيع
  • تَوْزِيع (tawzīʕ)act of distribution or being distributed
  • تَوْزِيع (tawzīʕ)statistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Bengali বিতরণ
  • বিতরণ (bitoron)act of distribution or being distributed
Bulgarian разпреде́ляне, разпростране́ние
  • разпреде́ляне (razpredéljane)act of distribution or being distributed
  • разпростране́ние (razprostranénie)process by which goods get to final consumers
  • разпределе́ние (razpredelénie)the result of distributing; arrangement
  • разпределе́ние (razpredelénie)frequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • разпределе́ние (razpredelénie)statistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Catalan distribució, distribució
  • distribucióact of distribution or being distributed
  • distribucióstatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Chinese Mandarin 分配, 分布
  • 分配 (fēnpèi)act of distribution or being distributed
  • 分布 (fēnbù)act of distribution or being distributed
Czech distribuce, rozdělení
  • distribuceact of distribution or being distributed
  • rozdělenístatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Danish distribution, fordeling
  • distributionact of distribution or being distributed
  • fordelingact of distribution or being distributed
  • fordelingapportionment by law of funds, property
  • distributionprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • forhandlingprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • uddelinganything distributed
  • fordelingthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • spredningfrequency of occurrence or extent of existence
Dutch distributie, uitdeling
  • distributieact of distribution or being distributed
  • uitdelingact of distribution or being distributed
  • verdelingact of distribution or being distributed
  • opdelingapportionment by law of funds, property
  • verdelingapportionment by law of funds, property
  • distributieprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • verdelingprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • distributieanything distributed
  • uitdelinganything distributed
  • opdelingthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • verdelingthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • spreidingfrequency of occurrence or extent of existence
Esperanto disdono, distribuado
  • disdonoact of distribution or being distributed
  • distribuadoact of distribution or being distributed
  • disvastiĝofrequency of occurrence or extent of existence
Estonian jaotus, jaotis
  • jaotusact of distribution or being distributed
  • jaotisanything distributed
Finnish levittäminen, levitys
  • levittäminenact of distribution or being distributed
  • levitysact of distribution or being distributed
  • jakoact of distribution or being distributed
  • jakaminenact of distribution or being distributed
  • jakautuminenact of distribution or being distributed
  • jakoapportionment by law of funds, property
  • jakeluprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • jakeluanything distributed
  • jakaumathe result of distributing; arrangement
  • jakothe result of distributing; arrangement
  • levikkitotal number of something sold or delivered to the clients
  • menekkitotal number of something sold or delivered to the clients
French distribution, distribution
  • distributionact of distribution or being distributed
  • distributionstatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
German Distribution, Verbreitung
  • Distributionact of distribution or being distributed
  • Verbreitungact of distribution or being distributed
  • Austeilungact of distribution or being distributed
  • Aufteilungapportionment by law of funds, property
  • Distributionprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • Absatzprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • Streuunganything distributed
  • Verbreitunganything distributed
  • Aufteilunganything distributed
  • Distributionthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • Aufteilungthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • Distributionfrequency of occurrence or extent of existence
Greek διανομή, κατανομή
  • διανομή (dianomí)act of distribution or being distributed
  • κατανομή (katanomí)apportionment by law of funds, property
  • μοιρασιά (moirasiá)apportionment by law of funds, property
  • διανομή (dianomí)process by which goods get to final consumers
  • διανομή (dianomí)anything distributed
  • κατανομή (katanomí)the result of distributing; arrangement
  • κατανομή (katanomí)frequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • κατανομή (katanomí)statistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Hebrew הֲפָצָה, חלוקה
  • הֲפָצָה (hafatsá)act of distribution or being distributed
  • חלוקהact of distribution or being distributed
  • חֲלֻקָּה (khaluká)act of distribution or being distributed
  • פיזור (pizúr)act of distribution or being distributed
  • חלוקהapportionment by law of funds, property
  • חֲלֻקָּה (khaluká)apportionment by law of funds, property
  • הַקְצָאָה (haktsaá)apportionment by law of funds, property
  • הֲפָצָה (hafatsá)process by which goods get to final consumers
  • אספקה (aspaká)process by which goods get to final consumers
  • הֲפָצָה (hafatsá)the result of distributing; arrangement
  • תפוצה (tfutsá)the result of distributing; arrangement
  • תפוצה (tfutsá)frequency of occurrence or extent of existence
Hindi वितरण, फैलाना
  • वितरण (vitraṇ)act of distribution or being distributed
  • फैलाना (phailānā)act of distribution or being distributed
  • वितरण (vitraṇ)apportionment by law of funds, property
  • बँटवारा (bãṭvārā)apportionment by law of funds, property
Hungarian forgalmazás, eloszlás
  • forgalmazásprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • eloszlásthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • megoszlásthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • eloszlásstatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Irish leatacht
  • leatachtact of distribution or being distributed
Italian distribuzione, diffusione
  • distribuzioneact of distribution or being distributed
  • diffusionefrequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • distribuzionestatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
  • distribuzionesoftware: set of bundled software components — see also distro
Japanese 配布, 配分
  • 配布 (haifu)act of distribution or being distributed
  • 配分 (haibun)act of distribution or being distributed
  • 配分 (haibun)the result of distributing; arrangement
  • 分布 (bunpu)frequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • 分布 (bunpu)statistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Korean 분배, 분포
  • 분배 (bunbae)act of distribution or being distributed
  • 분포 (bunpo)act of distribution or being distributed
Latin dīvīsiō, diaeresis
  • dīvīsiōact of distribution or being distributed
  • diaeresisrhetorical figure
  • distribūtiōrhetorical figure
Malay pengedaran, pengagihan
  • pengedaranact of distribution or being distributed
  • pengagihanact of distribution or being distributed
  • agihananything distributed
Māori tuaritanga
  • tuaritangaact of distribution or being distributed
Norwegian Bokmål distribusjon, distribusjon
  • distribusjonact of distribution or being distributed
  • distribusjonprocess by which goods get to final consumers
Persian توزیع, پراکنش
  • توزیع (towzi')act of distribution or being distributed
  • پراکنش (parākaneš)act of distribution or being distributed
  • توزیع (towzi')statistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Polish dystrybucja, dystrybucja
  • dystrybucjaact of distribution or being distributed
  • dystrybucjaprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • rozkładcard games: way in which the cards are divided
  • rozkładstatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Portuguese distribuição, distribuição
  • distribuiçãoact of distribution or being distributed
  • distribuiçãoapportionment by law of funds, property
  • distribuiçãoprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • parteanything distributed
  • porçãoanything distributed
  • distribuiçãothe result of distributing; arrangement
  • arranjothe result of distributing; arrangement
  • distribuiçãofrequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • distribuiçãostatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Romanian distribuire, distribuire
  • distribuireact of distribution or being distributed
  • distribuireprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • parte distribuităanything distributed
  • distribuțieanything distributed
  • distribuțiethe result of distributing; arrangement
  • împărțirethe result of distributing; arrangement
  • aranjamentthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • distribuirestatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
  • distribuțiestatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Russian распростране́ние, разда́ча
  • распростране́ние (rasprostranénije)act of distribution or being distributed
  • разда́ча (razdáča)act of distribution or being distributed
  • распределе́ние (raspredelénije)act of distribution or being distributed
  • дистрибу́ция (distribúcija)act of distribution or being distributed
  • распростране́ние (rasprostranénije)the result of distributing; arrangement
  • распределе́ние (raspredelénije)statistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Scottish Gaelic sgaoileadh
  • sgaoileadhact of distribution or being distributed
Spanish distribución, capitación
  • distribuciónact of distribution or being distributed
  • capitaciónact of distribution or being distributed
  • cabezajeact of distribution or being distributed
  • distribuciónstatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Swahili usambazaji
  • usambazajiact of distribution or being distributed
Swedish distribution, fördelning
  • distributionact of distribution or being distributed
  • fördelningact of distribution or being distributed
  • fördelningapportionment by law of funds, property
  • distributionprocess by which goods get to final consumers
  • tilldelninganything distributed
  • utdelninganything distributed
  • distributionthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • fördelningthe result of distributing; arrangement
  • distributionfrequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • fördelningfrequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • fördelningstatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Tagalog pamamahagi
  • pamamahagistatistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution
Ukrainian розпо́діл, розповсю́дження
  • розпо́діл (rozpódil)act of distribution or being distributed
  • розповсю́дження (rozpovsjúdžennja)act of distribution or being distributed
  • поши́рення (pošýrennja)act of distribution or being distributed
  • дистрибу́ція (dystrybúcija)process by which goods get to final consumers
  • розпо́діл (rozpódil)the result of distributing; arrangement
  • розповсю́дження (rozpovsjúdžennja)frequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • поши́рення (pošýrennja)frequency of occurrence or extent of existence
  • розпо́діл (rozpódil)statistics: set of relative likelihoods — see also probability distribution

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with distribution

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

distribution. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/distribution

MLA

“distribution.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/distribution. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “distribution,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/distribution.

Source: distribution on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.