English
statistics
Statistics comes from German Statistik, introduced by Achenwall (1749) from New Latin statisticum ‘of the state’ and Italian statista ‘statesman’.
- Germanc. 1650–presentStatistik
- Englishearliest quotation 1972statistics
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Germanc. 1650–presentStatistik
- Englishearliest quotation 1972statistics
Earliest quotation: 1972, Leonard J. Savage, The Foundations of Statistics: “As for statistics, the foundations include, on any interpretation…”
The story
Statistik introduced by Gottfried Achenwall (1749), originally designated the analysis of data about the state.
Every English word from German Statistik
Today it means
noun A discipline, principally within applied mathematics, concerned with the systematic study of the collection, presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / German Statistik / statistics