mean square

noun

: the mean of the squares of a set of values

Examples of mean square in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When each pixel during the scanning process was given 5 milliseconds to collect photons, the new de-noising algorithm reduced the root mean square error—a measure of its deviation from a perfect image—of reconstructed images by about eightfold. IEEE Spectrum, 1 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mean square was circa 1832

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mean square.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mean%20square. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster