Gini coefficient

English

Etymology

Named after Italian statistician and sociologist Corrado Gini (1884–1965).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʒiːni ˌkəʊˈɪ.fɪʃn̩t/

Noun

Gini coefficient (plural Gini coefficients)

1. (statistics, economics) A measure of the inequality of a statistical distribution, ranging from 0 (total equality) to 1 (maximal inequality), used in various disciplines but especially in economics to compare incomes or wealth.
   • 2020, Tim Harford, “Rule four”, in How to Make the World Add Up, Bridge Street Press, →ISBN:

     One big problem with the Gini coefficient, however, is getting an intuitive feel for what it actually means. It's easy enough to picture a country with a Gini coefficient of zero—there, everyone gets exactly the same income.

   • 2023 May 1, Alexander Hurst, “Has France really gone to hell? Its catastrophist discourse is at odds with the facts”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:

     In fact, France’s Gini coefficient, the measure of inequality in a society, is lower today than it was during les trente glorieuses (1945 to 1975), when postwar France regained confidence by helping to pioneer first Concorde, then the TGV, and then in the early 1980s the proto-internet (the Minitel).

Synonyms

• Gini index
• Gini ratio

See also

• Great Gatsby curve
• Lorenz curve

Further reading

• Gini coefficient on Wikipedia.Wikipedia