A metallicity distribution function gives the number or mass of stars per metallicity interval. Its interpretation depends on sample selection, stellar lifetimes, spatial migration, and whether metallicity means total heavy-element abundance or a particular abundance ratio.
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The metallicity distribution function (MDF) is a statistical description of the metallicity, which refers to the abundance of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium in a celestial object, such as stars or galaxies. Metallicity is often expressed in terms of the logarithmic ratio of the abundance of a given element to that of hydrogen, relative to the solar abundance, commonly denoted as [Fe/H] (for iron) or other similar indices.