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nonadditivity

nonadditivity

1 9.9
The total is not just the sum of the parts because the parts interact
  • noun
  • /ˌnɒnˌædɪˈtɪvɪti/
  • Specialized
: no aditividad
  • In this experiment, nonadditivity was evident as the combined outcomes were not equal to the sum of individual effects.

Examples

  • For each regression, diagnostic testing for collinearity, nonadditivity, and outliers was performed.

    Academic text (2008)
  • To test for nonadditivity, all possible two-way interactions between significant variables in each analysis were examined.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Analyses are of the numbers of participants having a first event of each type during follow-up (with nonfatal and fatal events considered separately), so there is some nonadditivity between different types of events.

    Blog text (29)
  • Menard (2002) suggested a protocol for logistic regression diagnostics that includes testing for collinearity, nonadditivity, and outliers.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The researchers confirmed the nonadditivity of the medication's effects when combined with other treatments.

  • The team's findings highlighted the importance of nonadditivity in understanding complex environmental interactions.

Antonyms

additivity
  • Specialized
1 7.9

The total effect equals the sum of the separate effects

How Additive

additivity
  • Specialized
1 7.9
nonadditivity
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Surface Forms

nonadditivity singular

Morphology

nonadditivity = additivity (semi-transparent) = non + additive + ity

The word is transparently formed by adding non- to the technical noun additivity, but the full meaning depends on knowing the specialized term additivity.

Etymology

Nonadditivity comes from parts you know: non- meaning 'not', add meaning 'to join or add', and -ity which makes a noun. Think of mixing two paints or two ideas and getting something new — the total is not just the sum of the parts, so nonadditivity describes when a whole is not simply the added parts.