What does the value of a probability density function (PDF) at some x indicate?

'Relative likelihood' is indeed misleading. Look at it as a limit instead: $$ f(x)=\lim_{h \to 0}\frac{F(x+h)-F(x)}{h} $$ where $F(x) = P(X \leq x)$


I am not sure if Jester is still interested, as it's been 5 years, but I think I found a less confusing anwer than in Wikipedia.

In contrast to discrete random variables, if X is continuous, f(X) is a function whose value at any given sample is not the probability but rather it indicates the likelihood that X will be in that sample/interval. For example if the value of the PDF around a point (can be generalized for a sample) x is large, that means the random variable X is more likely to take values close to x. If, on the other hand, f(x)=0 in some interval, then X won't be in that interval

Of course a more practical way of thinking it is that the probability of X being in an interval is given by the integral of the PDF.

You might want to look at the link below for more details: http://mathinsight.org/probability_density_function_idea


In general, if $X$ is a random variable with values of a measure space $(A,\mathcal A,\mu)$ and with pdf $f:A\to [0,1]$, then for all measurable set $S\in\mathcal A$, $$P(X\in S) = \int_S fd\mu $$ So, if $A=\Bbb R$ (and $\mu=\lambda$), then $$P(a<X<b)=\int_a^b f(x)dx$$ So, $f(x) = \displaystyle\lim_{t\to 0} \frac1{2t}\int_{x-t}^{x+t} f =\lim_{t\to 0} \frac1{2t} P(|X-x|<t) $ for example.. We can call it 'relative likelihood'..