A few days ago
Urban Kudos

Is “Average” really the most offensive word in English?

Is “Average” really the most offensive word in English?

Top 10 Answers
A few days ago
Anonymous

Favorite Answer

No! Below Average is!

HEY! I tried emaling you, but u do not have the option to email you!! I wanted to thank you for the best answer, and i agree with you, i like short, sweet, to the point answers!!!

(how to teach an old dog new tricks?)

3

A few days ago
merrybodner
There are many much more offensive terms. Average is the statistical mean. That’s all.
0

A few days ago
R.C.
Nope. It has several meanings

1. typical amount: the level, amount, or degree of something that is typical of a group or class of people or things

2. mathematics number considered typical of number group: a number that can be regarded as typical of a group of numbers, calculated by adding the numbers together, then dividing the total by the amount of numbers

3. sports measure of playing performance: a measure of a player’s or team’s achievement, reached by dividing the number of opportunities for successful performances by how many times a successful performance was achieved

4. stock exchange intermediate price: a measure of stock exchange performance, based on the total of prices for a group or class of securities, divided by the number of securities

5. law loss at sea: in maritime law, the loss or damage of a ship and its cargo, or the division of the costs of this loss or damage among the owner or partners involved

Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

1

A few days ago
Alysia
I can think of far more offensive terms, however, average can be a term that envokes jealousy in others. If someone strives to be better in everything they do, noting them as average would be offensive!!
0

A few days ago
alicat
It’s not the most offensive. But, depends on what they are referring to. Of “average build”, well okay then. “Average hockey player”, not so good. “Average in bed” Not good at all.
0

A few days ago
treebird
I do not think so. What about “like”.

Even worse is a phrase, used as a ‘word’

“You know” or “ya know”

or ‘like ya know’

I never know what the people who say this are talking about because they never tell me. That’s probably because they think I already know. So, what I wonder is, why are they still talking?

That’s the most offensive to my ears.

0

A few days ago
Antimidas
A person should be happy to be average…if your average,you are:not to short,not to fat,not to old,not to dumb,not to ugly,so if you are insulted by the word “average”,your ego is definately below average(or above,depending how you look at it)
2

A few days ago
andrewgalazka2
I would say Below-Average is more offensive.
1

A few days ago
Charlie Kicksass
I won’t use them here, but racial, ethnic and sexual preference slurs are the most offensive to the person they are used against.

Moron, idiot and numbskull, etc. don’t even come close.

Average is almost a compliment, relatvely speaking.

C. :)!!

1

A few days ago
wayne_burdeshaw
NOT BY A LONG SHOT!!!! I could list many more offensive words and terms. Look here…. http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/index.htm….IF you like ethnic words….List of ethnic slurs by ethnicity here…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offensive_terms_per_nationality
1