Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - statistic

~ n 1 statistics a) a collection of numbers which represent facts or measurements  (Statistics on illness are used in planning health care. | Statistics show that % of new businesses fail in their first year.) b) the science of dealing with and explaining such numbers  (Statistics is a branch of mathematics.) 2 a single number which represents a fact or measurement  (Is he aware of the statistic that women make up 40% of the work force?)  (- see also vital statistics) - statistical adj  (statistical evidence) - statistically adv  (The variation is not statistically significant.)