platykurtosis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical/Specialized
Quick answer
What does “platykurtosis” mean?
A statistical property of a probability distribution having flatter tails and a lower, broader peak than the normal distribution.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A statistical property of a probability distribution having flatter tails and a lower, broader peak than the normal distribution; indicating less frequent extreme deviations from the mean.
More broadly, a descriptor for any dataset or real-world phenomenon where the distribution of values is less concentrated around the average and shows fewer outliers in the tails compared to a standard bell curve.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No lexical or grammatical differences. The term is identical in spelling and usage across both varieties.
Connotations
Purely technical, with no additional cultural or regional connotations.
Frequency
Extremely rare outside professional statistics, economics, and some scientific fields. Usage frequency is equally minimal in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “platykurtosis” in a Sentence
The data shows [platykurtosis].A distribution characterized by [platykurtosis].The [platykurtosis] of the dataset was calculated.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “platykurtosis” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The returns series is distinctly platykurtic, suggesting less tail risk than assumed.
American English
- We identified a platykurtic distribution in the sample data.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used, except possibly in sophisticated quantitative finance or risk modeling to describe return distributions.
Academic
Primary context. Used in statistics, econometrics, psychology (test design), and any field using advanced data analysis.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Core context. Standard term in statistical software output, research papers, and data science reports.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “platykurtosis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “platykurtosis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “platykurtosis”
- Misspelling as 'platicurtosis' or 'platykurtisis'.
- Using it as an adjective (the adjective is 'platykurtic').
- Confusing it with skewness (which measures asymmetry, not tail/flatness).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neither inherently good nor bad. In finance, platykurtosis in returns might suggest lower risk of extreme crashes (good) but also lower chance of extreme gains (bad). It is a descriptive property.
Skewness measures the asymmetry (lopsidedness) of a distribution. Platykurtosis measures the 'tailedness' and peakedness relative to a normal distribution, assuming symmetry.
No. By definition, the normal distribution has mesokurtosis (zero excess kurtosis). Platykurtosis explicitly means the distribution is *less* peaked and has *lighter* tails than the normal distribution.
It is measured by the kurtosis statistic. A value less than 3 (or excess kurtosis less than 0) indicates platykurtosis. Common formulas include Fisher's (excess) kurtosis.
A statistical property of a probability distribution having flatter tails and a lower, broader peak than the normal distribution.
Platykurtosis is usually technical/specialized in register.
Platykurtosis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌplatɪkɜːˈtəʊsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌplætɪkɝˈtoʊsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: PLATY like a PLATE – flat. Platykurtosis means a flatter peak. A platypus has a flat bill; platykurtosis has a flat distribution.
Conceptual Metaphor
TERRAIN: A distribution with platykurtosis is like a broad, flat hill (e.g., a mesa), whereas a leptokurtic distribution is like a sharp, narrow mountain peak.
Practice
Quiz
What does platykurtosis indicate about a distribution's tails?