likelihood

• likelyhood (obsolete, now a misspelling)

From Middle English liklihode, equivalent to likely +‎ -hood.

• IPA^(key): /ˈlaɪklihʊd/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

likelihood (countable and uncountable, plural likelihoods)

1. The probability of a specified outcome; the chance of something happening; probability; the state or degree of being probable.

   In all likelihood the meeting will be cancelled.

   The likelihood is that the inflation rate will continue to rise.

   • 2017 May 16, Maurie Backman, “Here's how to become a millionaire on $56,000 a year”, in CNN Money‎^[1]:

     While starting early can increase your likelihood of attaining millionaire status, the investments you choose play an equally important role.

2. (statistics, probability theory) The probability that some fixed outcome was generated by a random distribution with a specific parameter.
3. Likeness, resemblance.
   • 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], chapter 3, in The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, 1st book:

     There is no likelihood between pure light and black darkness, […] or between righteousness and reprobation.

4. (archaic) Appearance, show, sign, expression.

• likeliness
• liability
• odds

• unlikelihood