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I’ve heard this phrased as “the average person has an above average number of legs”.
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Wouldn't "the typical person has above average number of legs" or some such be better?

Yes, but less pithy. Placing the "average person" next to the "average number of legs" makes it clear that the idiomatic and intuitive sense of "average" that most people have is wrong. The more precise "typical person" doesn't make that same point as well, though an intelligent reader would certainly be expected to be able to read the same from it.

Median person?



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