Synonyms

percent

American

[per-sent] / pərˈsɛnt /

Or per cent

noun

Also called per centum. one one-hundredth part; 1/100.
percentage.
British. stocks, bonds, etc., that bear an indicated rate of interest.

adjective

figured or expressed on the basis of a rate or proportion per hundred (used in combination with a number in expressing rates of interest, proportions, etc.): %

to get three percent interest.

percent Scientific

/ pər-sĕnt′ /

One part in a hundred. For example, 62 percent (also written 62%) means 62 parts out of 100.

percent Cultural

A fraction expressed as a number of hundredths. Twelve percent of a quantity, for example, is twelve one-hundredths of it. Twelve percent may also be written 12%.

Commonly Confused

In the senses “rate or proportion per hundred” and “proportion in general” percent and percentage are frequently interchangeable. With a preceding number, only percent occurs ( a 16 percent decline ); with no preceding number, either occurs, but percentage is much more common: a certain percentage (or percent ) of the land.

Other Word Forms

percental adjective

Etymology

Origin of percent

First recorded in 1560–70; short for Medieval Latin per centum “by the hundred”; per, cent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Yet infant mortality remains high compared to other wealthy nations, despite more than 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths being preventable.

From Salon

Roughly 90 percent of the UAE's population consists of foreigners and Dubai is its biggest city, with a carefully curated image for opulence and glamour.

From Barron's

But in 2024, Venezuela produced only about one percent of global crude, its industry left haggard by years of underinvestment, mismanagement and US sanctions.

From Barron's

Wall Street praised the deal, with shares of Paramount up more than 20 percent Friday.

From Barron's

The company's shares fell by two percent after the results were announced.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023