Economic Indicators Glossary

noun a liquid fossil fuel

• The price of crude oil has been fluctuating due to global demand and supply factors.
• I heard that the cost of crude oil is going up again.
• They struck it rich when they hit a gusher of crude oil on their land.
• His emotions were like crude oil, bubbling up to the surface uncontrollably.

noun an average calculated by adding together all the values in a set and dividing by the number of values

verb to intend to convey or refer to; signify

adjective unkind, spiteful, or unfair

adverb in a poor or inferior manner

• The average is calculated by finding the mean of a set of numbers.
• I'm not sure what you mean by that.
• Don't be so mean, lighten up a bit.
• His words may sound harsh, but his mean intentions are not always clear.

noun a place where securities are traded directly between two parties, without the supervision of an exchange

• Investors can buy and sell securities in the over-the-counter market without the need for a centralized exchange.
• You can trade stocks directly with other investors in the over-the-counter market.
• I heard some people make quick cash in the OTC market by trading penny stocks.
• In the world of finance, the over-the-counter market is like the Wild West where anything can happen.

noun a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons that is present in certain rock strata and can be extracted and refined to produce fuels including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel

• Petroleum is a fossil fuel that is commonly used for energy production.
• My dad works in the petroleum industry, so he knows a lot about oil drilling.
• I heard that there's a huge stash of black gold, aka petroleum, just waiting to be found.
• Her creativity flowed like an endless well of petroleum, fueling her artistic endeavors.

noun the quality or state of being variable; the extent to which something is subject to change or variation

• The study aimed to analyze the variability in the data set.
• There's a lot of variability in the results we collected.
• The variability in her mood swings is insane.
• The variability of opinions on the matter is like a rollercoaster ride.

noun the state of being without work or employment

• The government is implementing policies to address worklessness in the country.
• Many people are struggling with worklessness and finding it hard to secure a job.
• Worklessness is a real bummer, dude.
• Worklessness can feel like being adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

adverb in a way that is not normal or typical

• The results of the experiment showed an abnormally high level of acidity in the soil sample.
• She was abnormally quiet during the meeting, which was unusual for her.
• I heard that he abnormally aced the test without studying at all.
• His ability to empathize with others was abnormally strong, making him a great counselor.