systematic error
nounUK /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk ˈerə/
US /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk ˈerər/
A mistake that happens the same way every time you measure something.
The scale had a systematic error, so every bag of apples weighed a little too much.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A flaw in a study's design that pushes results in one direction.
The survey had a systematic error because it only asked people who owned phones.
3. A predictable offset in an instrument's readings.
The thermometer's systematic error made it read two degrees too high.
4. A repeated pattern of mistake in a process, not just a one-time slip.
The factory found a systematic error in how boxes were labeled.