Near average (4)
I believe the answer is:
mean
This clue is a double definition.
'near' is the first definition.
(thesaurus)
'average' is the second definition.
(type of average)
(Other definitions for mean that I've seen before include "Being near" , "Stingy; Scrooge-like" , "spell" , "middle course" , "Petty" .)