predictor.

1. A variable or feature used in a model or analysis to predict an outcome or response.

2. A person, device or system that makes a prediction.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• predictor variable
• independent predictor

On the page

The predictor variable improved the forecast even though its causal role remained uncertain.

The analysis tested whether age was an independent predictor after accounting for the recorded conditions.

Usage notes

Primary category: science / research / methodology. Forms: Singular predictor; plural predictors. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: method specification, measurement critique, model interpretation, qualification. Disciplines: research methods, statistics, experimental design. Commonness: moderately common.