WordGarden.iosigma
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /sˈɪɡmə/
US
- /ˈsɪɡmə/
Meanings
Noun
the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet
(slang)a person, especially in internet slang, seen as independent, self-assured, and outside normal social hierarchy
a standard deviation, especially as a unit for measuring statistical variation
More meaningsFewer meanings
a covalent bond formed by head-on overlap of atomic orbitals
Beyond the definition
Sigma (Σ, σ) is a Greek letter with a few well-known uses. In math, uppercase sigma (Σ) is the sign for summation, a short way to show that several numbers should be added together. In statistics, lowercase sigma (σ) stands for standard deviation, which tells us how spread out data is around the average. The word also appears online in the phrase "sigma male," which describes a person seen as independent, self-directed, and outside usual social ranks.
The Greek letter Sigma (Σ, σ) appears in mathematics, statistics, and modern internet culture. Its main mathematical use is summation: the uppercase Σ shows that a sequence of values should be added together. For example, the notation means to add all values of "x" from the first term to the nth term. This lets long calculations be written in a compact way.
In statistics, the lowercase σ stands for standard deviation, a measure of how much values vary in a set of data. A low sigma means the values stay close to the mean, or average. A high sigma means they are spread out more widely. This idea also appears in "Six Sigma," a quality-control method used in business and manufacturing to reduce mistakes and make results more consistent.
More recently, "sigma" has become part of internet slang as a personality type. The phrase "sigma male" usually describes a man who is seen as self-reliant, quiet, and independent, especially someone who does not follow the usual "alpha" or "beta" social roles. This meaning is informal and culture-based, not a scientific term. Depending on the context, sigma may refer to a Greek letter, a math symbol, a statistical measure, a quality-control method, or an online social label.
Examples
- 1
Greek alphabet
In the Greek alphabet, sigma comes near the end.
- 2
Summation symbol
The professor used a capital sigma to show the sum of the series.
- 3
Statistics symbol
In the report, a lowercase sigma is used for the standard deviation.
- 4
Statistical distance
Any result more than three sigma from the average was treated as unusual.
- Patternthree sigma from the average
three standard deviations away from the average
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Quality management
The company trained its managers in Six Sigma methods to cut down on errors.
- DomainSix Sigma
a business system for improving quality and reducing mistakes
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- sigmanoun
Forms
- sigmaspluralnoun