false positive
noun1
A result of a test that shows as present something that is absent.
- A false positive from a cancer screening test will unnecessarily frighten a healthy person; a false negative will deprive them of timely treatment.
- A false positive can be returned on a password checking algorithm when the password is tested against a dictionary but the password does not contain a dictionary word.
2
Mathematics, Sciences, Statistics A type I error.
- Synonyms
- FP, false alarm
- Antonyms
- false negative, type II error