bias
BYE-uhs
/ˈbaɪ.əs/
An inclination or prejudice for or against one person, group, or idea, especially in a way considered unfair.
Can be explicit or implicit/unconscious; distorts objective judgment and evaluation.
The story behind the word. Came into English via Old French 'biais' (slant or diagonal), originally used in lawn bowling to describe the weighted side of a ball that caused it to curve across the grass rather than roll straight.
Word relationships
- prejudice: Prejudice usually implies strong emotional hostility, whereas bias can be subtle, cognitive, or institutional.
- impartiality: Fairness and total lack of prejudice.
- objectivity: Judgment based purely on verifiable facts without personal leanings.
Commonly confused with
- bifurcation: Bifurcation is splitting into two physical branches, whereas bias is an unfair leaning.
Word family
- biased (adjective): Unfairly prejudiced for or against someone.
- unbiased (adjective): Impartial and objective.
Collocations
- implicit bias
- gender bias
- unconscious bias
- bias against
Example sentences
- "Unconscious bias in grading can subtly disadvantage students based on gender stereotypes." Teacher evaluation study
Memory hook
A ball rolling on a BYE-as slants away from the straight path. Unfair slant or angle.
When not to use
Do not confuse with simple preference; bias implies a systematic distortion or unfair tilt.
Fun facts
- Lawn bowlers still use 'bias' in its original 16th-century sense to describe asymmetric weighted balls.
Related words
Explore more words
slant, unbiased, In-group bias, impartial, predisposition, partisan
Also appears in
- Conflict → Prejudices & Biases
- Conflict → Fairness & Impartiality
- Technology → Artificial Intelligence & ML
- Technology → Scientific Method & Inquiry
- Technology → Ethics in Science & Tech
- Media, Journalism & Publishing → Misinformation & Media Literacy
- Economic Theory & Analysis → Behavioral Economics
- Media, Journalism & Publishing → Media Bias & Objective Reporting
- Media, Journalism & Publishing → Algorithms & Echo Chambers
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