Explanation at your level:
Distribution means giving things to people. Imagine you have ten apples and you give one to each of your ten friends. You just finished the distribution of the apples! It is a big word for a simple idea: sharing.
When you have a lot of items and you put them in different places, that is distribution. For example, a company makes toys and uses trucks for the distribution of these toys to many different stores.
In economics, distribution refers to how products reach customers. It is also used to talk about how things like money or land are shared in a country. If something is spread out, we can say it has a wide distribution.
Distribution is often used in formal contexts. You might hear about the 'uneven distribution of wealth' in a news report. It describes the way a specific resource is allocated across a population or a geographic area.
Beyond physical goods, distribution is a key term in statistics. A 'probability distribution' describes the likelihood of different outcomes. In academic writing, it is used to analyze the spread of phenomena, such as the distribution of species in a specific ecosystem.
At the highest level, distribution encompasses the systemic allocation of power, rights, and capital. It is a cornerstone of political philosophy and logistics, often involving complex networks. The nuance lies in whether the distribution is equitable, efficient, or centralized, reflecting deep societal structures.
Wort in 30 Sekunden
- Distribution is the act of sharing or spreading.
- It is a formal noun used in business and math.
- Commonly used with 'wealth' and 'resources'.
- The verb form is 'distribute'.
At its heart, distribution is all about how things are spread out. Think of a teacher handing out worksheets to students; that is a classic example of distribution in action. It is not just about physical objects, though, as we often talk about the distribution of wealth, power, or even information across a society.
When you hear this word, imagine a central point sending things out in many different directions. Whether it is a delivery truck dropping off packages or a statistician analyzing how grades are spread across a class, the concept remains the same: taking a whole and dividing it into parts for others to receive or observe.
The word distribution has a fascinating journey through time. It comes from the Latin word distributio, which itself is derived from distribuere, meaning 'to divide up' or 'to distribute.' The root dis- means 'apart' and tribuere means 'to assign' or 'to pay.'
Historically, it was deeply tied to the Roman practice of assigning land or goods to citizens. Over the centuries, it evolved from a purely administrative term into a versatile word used in economics, mathematics, and even biology. It is a great example of how a practical, ancient administrative term has stayed relevant in our modern, complex world of global logistics and data science.
You will see distribution used most frequently in business and academic settings. In a business context, it is a pillar of the 'four Ps' of marketing—Product, Price, Place, and Promotion—where 'Place' is essentially the distribution channel.
Commonly, we talk about the 'fair distribution of resources' or 'the distribution of wealth.' In more technical contexts, like statistics, you might hear about a 'normal distribution' or 'frequency distribution.' It is a formal word, so you would be more likely to use it in a report or a professional email than in a casual text to a friend.
While 'distribution' itself is a formal noun, it appears in many set phrases. 1. Fair distribution: Ensuring everyone gets an equal share. 2. Channel of distribution: The path a product takes to reach the buyer. 3. Uneven distribution: When things are spread out in an unbalanced way. 4. Income distribution: How money is shared among a population. 5. Normal distribution: A specific bell-shaped curve in statistics.
Distribution is an uncountable noun when referring to the general process, but it can be countable when referring to specific types or instances (e.g., 'the distributions of the two data sets'). The stress falls on the third syllable: dis-tri-bu-tion.
In British English, it is pronounced /ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃən/, while in American English, it is /ˌdɪstrəˈbjuːʃən/. It rhymes with words like 'contribution,' 'substitution,' and 'retribution,' which all share that rhythmic '-ution' ending.
Fun Fact
It was used in Roman law for dividing land.
Pronunciation Guide
Crisp 't' sounds.
Softer 't' sounds.
Common Errors
- Missing the 'u' sound
- Misplacing stress
- Swallowing the final 'n'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Clear but formal
Useful for essays
Formal
Clear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Fortgeschritten
Grammar to Know
Noun suffixes
-tion
Uncountable nouns
distribution
Compound nouns
distribution-list
Examples by Level
The teacher did the distribution of books.
Teacher gave books.
Noun usage.
I like the distribution of colors here.
How colors are spread.
Abstract noun.
The distribution is fair.
Everyone gets equal.
Subject-verb.
Look at the distribution of toys.
Toys are everywhere.
Prepositional phrase.
We need better distribution.
Need to share better.
Need + noun.
The distribution was fast.
It happened quickly.
Past tense.
Check the distribution list.
List of who gets it.
Compound noun.
This is a good distribution.
A nice way to share.
Determiner.
The distribution of water is important.
They handle the distribution of mail.
The company changed its distribution method.
We studied the distribution of plants.
The distribution of seats was random.
He works in food distribution.
The distribution was completed yesterday.
Check the distribution of the budget.
The uneven distribution of wealth is a global issue.
They improved their distribution network.
The distribution of power is balanced.
We analyzed the distribution of the survey results.
The distribution of tasks was clear.
He is responsible for global distribution.
The distribution of species varies by region.
They are planning a new distribution strategy.
The equitable distribution of resources is a primary goal.
The statistical distribution shows a clear trend.
They are investigating the distribution channels.
The distribution of information was tightly controlled.
We need to optimize the distribution of personnel.
The distribution of heat in the room is uneven.
The company expanded its distribution footprint.
The distribution of the vaccine was a logistical challenge.
The skewed distribution of income suggests systemic inequality.
The spatial distribution of the population is dense.
They modeled the probability distribution of the event.
The distribution of political power is highly centralized.
The firm dominates the distribution of luxury goods.
The distribution of the load must be perfectly balanced.
We observed a normal distribution in the test scores.
The distribution of responsibilities was clearly defined.
The historical distribution of land remains a contentious issue.
The distribution of cultural influence is often asymmetric.
The mathematical distribution defies simple explanation.
The distribution of the burden was shared among all parties.
The distribution of the assets was subject to legal review.
The distribution of the population follows a specific pattern.
The socioeconomic distribution of the area is quite diverse.
The distribution of the load is critical for safety.
Häufige Kollokationen
Idioms & Expressions
"spread the wealth"
to share resources
We need to spread the wealth more evenly.
casual"divide and conquer"
to break a task into parts
Let's divide and conquer the chores.
casual"share the load"
to divide work
It's easier if we share the load.
neutral"cut the pie"
to divide profits/assets
We need to cut the pie fairly.
casual"spread thin"
to have too little distributed
Our resources are spread thin.
neutralEasily Confused
Similar ending
Contribution is giving, distribution is spreading.
My contribution was small; the distribution was wide.
Similar meaning
Allocation is assigning specific amounts.
The allocation of funds was precise.
Physical movement
Delivery is the act of transport.
The delivery arrived on time.
Giving out
Dispensing is usually small scale.
Dispensing the medicine carefully.
Sentence Patterns
The distribution of [noun] is [adj].
The distribution of wealth is uneven.
We need to improve the distribution of [noun].
We need to improve the distribution of food.
The distribution of [noun] across [place].
The distribution of plants across the island.
The company manages the distribution of [noun].
The company manages the distribution of goods.
Statistical distribution of [noun].
Statistical distribution of test scores.
Wortfamilie
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Verwandt
How to Use It
8
Formality Scale
Häufige Fehler
Distribute is the verb, distribution is the noun.
Contribution is giving, distribution is spreading.
Distribution implies multiple recipients.
Check the 'i' after 'r'.
Distribution is outgoing, collection is incoming.
Tips
Break it down
Dis-tribute-ion.
Business context
Use it for supply chains.
Wealth context
Often used in politics.
Noun ending
-tion is usually a noun.
Stress the 3rd
dis-tri-BU-tion.
Don't verb it
Use 'distribute' for action.
Latin roots
Comes from Roman law.
Contextualize
Think of a pizza.
Uncountable
Usually no 's' at the end.
Academic
Great for essays.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Dis-tribute: Dis (apart) + tribute (give).
Visual Association
A pizza being cut into slices.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Describe how you share your time.
Wortherkunft
Latin
Original meaning: to divide up
Kultureller Kontext
None, neutral term.
Common in business and politics.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at work
- distribution channel
- distribution team
- manage distribution
school
- distribution of grades
- distribution of tasks
- fair distribution
economics
- income distribution
- wealth distribution
- resource distribution
math
- normal distribution
- frequency distribution
- probability distribution
Conversation Starters
"How do you feel about the distribution of wealth?"
"What is the best way to handle the distribution of tasks?"
"Do you think the distribution of resources is fair?"
"How does the distribution of information affect us?"
"Have you studied the distribution of data in math?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you had to distribute tasks.
How would you improve the distribution of food in the world?
Describe the distribution of colors in your room.
Why is the distribution of power important in a country?
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenNo, it is a noun.
D-i-s-t-r-i-b-u-t-i-o-n.
The path a product takes.
No, it is uncountable.
Yes, fairly formal.
Distribute.
Similar, but distribution is broader.
Yes, for data sets.
Teste dich selbst
The ___ of the cake was fair.
Noun needed.
What is distribution?
Sharing is the meaning.
Distribution is usually a verb.
It is a noun.
Word
Bedeutung
Noun vs Verb.
Standard order.
Ergebnis: /5
Summary
Distribution is the organized way of sharing resources or information across a group or area.
- Distribution is the act of sharing or spreading.
- It is a formal noun used in business and math.
- Commonly used with 'wealth' and 'resources'.
- The verb form is 'distribute'.
Break it down
Dis-tribute-ion.
Business context
Use it for supply chains.
Wealth context
Often used in politics.
Noun ending
-tion is usually a noun.
Beispiel
자원의 공정한 분배가 중요합니다.
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