nondetection

English

Alternative forms

• non-detection

Etymology

From non- +‎ detection.

Noun

nondetection (countable and uncountable, plural nondetections)

1. A failure to detect; a negative result
   • 1986, Journal of the National Cancer Institute: JNCI, volume 77, page 661:

     Nondetection or nonnotification of cancer has been shown to be most common among patients older than 75 years at the time of diagnosis.

   • 2008, C. Swyngedouw, R. Lessard, “Quality Control in Soil Chemical Analysis”, in Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis‎^[1], →ISBN, page 56:

     Still, at the 3 sigma level, there is about a 50% chance of a false negative if data are censored below that level and are treated as nondetections.

Related terms

• detection
• misdetection