harmonic mean

noun

A type of measure of central tendency calculated as the reciprocal of the mean of the reciprocals, i.e., H=n/1/x_1+1/x_2+⋯+1/x_n.

Meanings

nounharmonic mean (plural harmonic means)

plural harmonic means

  1. mathematicsA type of measure of central tendency calculated as the reciprocal of the mean of the reciprocals, i.e., H=n/1/x_1+1/x_2+⋯+1/x_n.
    1 more example

    The harmonic mean of two numbers a and c is the number b such that #123;a-b#92;overa#125;#61;#123;b-c#92;overc#125;. Combining the two ratios: #123;b-c#92;overc#125;#61;#123;(a-b)#43;(b-c)#92;overa#43;c#125;#61;#123;a-c#92;overa#43;c#125;. Rotating the proportion 90° clockwise: #123;c#92;overa#43;c#125;#61;#123;b-c#92;overa-c#125;; transposing twice to isolate the b: b#61;c#43;c#92;left(#123;a-c#92;overa#43;c#125;#92;right). Likewise b#61;a-a#92;left(#123;a-c#92;overa#43;c#125;#92;right); these are both equivalent to the more typical, symmetrical equations: b#61;#123;2ac#92;overa#43;c#125;#61;#123;2#92;over#123;1#92;overa#125;#43;#123;1#92;overc

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 調和平均數 /调和平均数
  • 調和平均數 /调和平均数 (tiáohé píngjūnshù)type of average
Czech harmonický průměr
  • harmonický průměrtype of average
Finnish harmoninen keskiarvo
  • harmoninen keskiarvotype of average
French moyenne harmonique
  • moyenne harmoniquetype of average
German harmonisches Mittel
  • harmonisches Mitteltype of average
Hindi हरात्मक माध्य
  • हरात्मक माध्य (harātmak mādhya)type of average
Hungarian harmonikus közép
  • harmonikus középtype of average
Indonesian rerata harmonik
  • rerata harmoniktype of average
Japanese 調和平均
  • 調和平均 (chōwaheikin)type of average
Korean 조화 평균
  • 조화 평균 (johwa pyeonggyun)type of average
Polish średnia harmoniczna
  • średnia harmonicznatype of average
Portuguese média harmónica, média harmônica
  • média harmónicatype of average
  • média harmônicatype of average
Russian сре́днее гармони́ческое
  • сре́днее гармони́ческое (srédneje garmoníčeskoje)type of average
Spanish media armónica
  • media armónicatype of average
Swedish harmoniskt medelvärde
  • harmoniskt medelvärdetype of average
Tagalog suwatuhing tamtaman
  • suwatuhing tamtamantype of average
Cite this entry
APA

harmonic mean. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/harmonic%20mean

MLA

“harmonic mean.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/harmonic%20mean. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “harmonic mean,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/harmonic%20mean.

Source: harmonic mean on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.