percentile Definition
- 1each of the 100 equal groups into which a population can be divided according to the distribution of values of a particular variable
- 2a value on a scale of one hundred that indicates the percent of a distribution that is equal to or below it
Using percentile: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "percentile" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
She scored in the 90th percentile on the test.
Example
The child's height is in the 75th percentile for his age group.
Example
The company's profits are in the 95th percentile compared to its competitors.
percentile Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with percentile
the percentage of people in a given population who earn less than a certain amount of money per year
Example
The per capita income percentile in this region is quite low, indicating a high level of poverty.
the percentage of scores in a distribution that are equal to or lower than a given score
Example
Her percentile rank on the exam was in the top 10% of all test-takers.
a score that indicates the percentage of scores in a distribution that are equal to or lower than a given score
Example
His percentile score on the IQ test was in the 95th percentile, indicating that he scored higher than 95% of all test-takers.
Origins of percentile
from Latin 'per centum', meaning 'by the hundred'
Summary: percentile in Brief
The term 'percentile' [pərˈsɛntaɪl] refers to each of the 100 equal groups into which a population can be divided based on the distribution of values of a particular variable. It is also used to indicate a value on a scale of one hundred that shows the percentage of a distribution that is equal to or below it. Examples include 'She scored in the 90th percentile on the test.' and 'The child's height is in the 75th percentile for his age group.'