demographicsn.
/ˌdɛməˈɡrafɪks/, U.S. /ˌdɛməˈɡræfɪks/ 1. The study of the human population and its composition; (now typically in advertising and market research) spec. (originally U.S.) the study of statistical data concerning the composition or characteristics of a television or other audience, the market for a product, etc. Cf. demography n. 1a.Rare before the development of the spec. sense.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > science of mankind > [noun] > study of populations
demography1834
demographics1892
the world > relative properties > number > probability or statistics > [noun] > statistics > study of > demographics
birth rate1856
demography1880
natality1885
demographics1892
nuptiality1900
survivorship1949
1892 Symons's Monthly Meteorol. Mag. Feb. 2 We have thus contributions to a knowledge of the Physics, Economics (and why should we not say) the Chemics and Demographics of the subject.
1931 Ann. Math. Statistics 2 487 Population statistics..is of fundamental importance to demographics.
1964 N.Y. Times 29 Jan. 40/6 Robert Heimann was elected vice president for marketing... He is the..co-author of scientific papers on demographics.
1983 Maclean's 19 Sept. 19/3 The traditional demographics of age, employment or income.
2009 T. Footman Noughties Gloss. 168 NASCAR dad,..American, white, working-class father; usually in the context of political demographics.
2. Originally U.S. Chiefly in advertising and market research: statistical data relating to a human population and particular groups within it; the composition or characteristics of such a population or group, esp. a television or other audience, the market for a product, etc. Cf. demography n. 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > science of mankind > [noun] > study of populations > demographic statistics
demographics1965
1965 Chicago Tribune 20 Dec. iii. 6/2 The key to better investment of TV advertising dollars is the availability of viewer demographics or audience composition data.
1976 National Observer (U.S.) 22 May 8/3 The demographics have changed also. Go back to 1972, which was our best year. The largest percentage of buyers were the older middle-aged.
1984 Listener 9 Feb. 14/3 They will get more precise information about the ‘demographics’ of the television audience.
2000 P. Johnson & C. O'Brien World Food: New Orleans 19 French Louisiana's colonial experience separates it from the Anglo-American ‘Bible Belt’ both in terms of history, culture and demographics.
2010 New Yorker 11 Jan. 48/2 Wal-Mart's ferocious sales managers relentlessly analyze their end-cap placement, product mix, and shopper demographics.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1892