An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

1) The state of being likely or probable; a probability or chance of something.
2) In technical language likelihood is not synonymous for probability. Same as → likelihood function.

From → likely + -hood a suffix denoting state, condition, character, nature, etc., from M.E. -hode, -hod, O.E. -hād (cf. Ger. -heit).

Šodvâri, noun of šodvâr, → likely.

A function that allows one to estimate unknown parameters based on known outcomes. Opposed to → probability, which allows one to predict unknown outcomes based on known parameters. More specifically, a probability refers to the occurrence of future events, while a likelihood refers to past events with known outcomes.

→ likelihood; → function.

A statistical procedure based on choosing the value of the unknown parameter under which the probability of obtaining an observed sample is highest.

→ maximum; → likelihood.