| a set of elements capable of being completely counted and not zero |
| the method of finding the fourth term in a proportion when three terms are given |
independent (ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt) ![]() | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | free from control in action, judgment, etc; autonomous |
| 2. | not dependent on anything else for function, validity, etc; separate: two independent units make up this sofa |
| 3. | not reliant on the support, esp financial support, of others |
| 4. | capable of acting for oneself or on one's own: a very independent little girl |
| 5. | providing a large unearned sum towards one's support (esp in the phrases independent income, independent means) |
| 6. | living on an unearned income |
| 7. | maths See also independent variable (of a system of equations) not linearly dependent |
| 8. | statistics |
| a. (of two or more variables) distributed so that the value taken by one variable will have no effect on that taken by another or others | |
| b. Compare statistical dependence (of two or more events) such that the probability of all occurring equals the product of their individual probabilities | |
| 9. | of a set of propositions logic |
| a. not validly derivable from one another, so that if the propositions are the axioms of some theory none can be dispensed with | |
| b. not logically related, so that in no case can the truth value of one be inferred from those of the others | |
| —n | |
| 10. | an independent person or thing |
| 11. | a person who is not affiliated to or who acts independently of a political party |
| inde'pendently | |
| —adv | |