per

1 of 4

preposition

ˈpər 

1

: by the means or agency of : through

per bearer

2

: with respect to every member of a specified group : for each

3

: according to

—often used with as

per instructions

as per usual

Using Per as a Preposition: Usage Guide

Per occurs most frequently in business contexts; its use outside such contexts is often criticized but is quite widespread, especially in sense 2. Its most common and natural nonbusiness uses always involve figures, usually in relation to price

$150 per performance

, automobiles

32 miles per gallon

55 miles per hour

, or sports.

averages 15 points and 9 rebounds per game

per

2 of 4

adverb

: for each : apiece

a bargain at $3.50 per

per

3 of 4

abbreviation

1

period

2

person

per-

4 of 4

prefix

1

: throughout : thoroughly

peruse

2

a

: containing the largest possible or a relatively large proportion of a (specified) chemical element

perchloroethylene

b

: containing an element in its highest or a high oxidation state

perchloric acid

Synonyms

Preposition

• by
• in
• through
• via
• with

Adverb

• all
• apiece
• each
• per capita

Examples of per in a Sentence

Preposition

The speed limit is 35 miles per hour.

The car gets 32 miles per gallon.

He averages 15 points per game.

Per your advice, I accepted their offer.

Adverb

you can have them at 50 cents per or three for $1.25

Recent Examples on the Web

Preposition

The music video features the singer-songwriter and Post Malone, who features on the single, cast as ex-lovers who, per the lyrics, carried on an affair that only lasted 14 days. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 20 Apr. 2024

Its offer of 15 euros per share is 21% above the share price the day before the consortium announced its takeover bid and 38.2% above the average of the last 20 trading days, according to the announcement. —Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 19 Apr. 2024

Tourism boards in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami also shelled out cash—to the tune of approximately $116,000 per year, per city—for restaurants in their cities to be reviewed by Michelin. —Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 19 Apr. 2024

Eight years after they were first linked in the press, Swift and the 1975 singer Matty Healy were finally, actually dating — and have now broken up just as quickly, per a new TMZ report. —Justin Curto, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024

People would only be allowed to purchase one alcoholic beverage per transaction, and theaters must stop selling alcohol once the credits start rolling in for the last showing of the day. —Maysoon Khan, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024

Drawings are held two times per week at approximately 11 p.m. ET every Tuesday and Friday. —Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024

The park extends for 1.5 million acres and sees six million visitors per year. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024

Forty-two per cent of the leadership positions at OSHA, including that of the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, were left vacant during his tenure. —Eyal Press, The New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2024

Adverb

Senior libero/setter Cassidy Donalson represented Spring Woods on the watch list after averaging a team-high 4.3 digs per set as a junior. —Jack Marrion, Houston Chronicle, 1 July 2019

That’s helped bring per-pound retail prices for beef patties down 16% from their September 2015 high of $5.12 to about $4.31 in June, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. —Jacob Bunge, WSJ, 30 June 2018

Anderton, the Collierville, Tennessee, native averaged 11.78 assists per set and 2.00 digs per set as Samford improved to 6-6 in SoCon play. —Samford Athletics, AL.com, 2 Nov. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Preposition

Latin, through, by means of, by — more at for

Prefix

Latin, through, throughout, thoroughly, detrimental to, from per

First Known Use

Preposition

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1899, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing per

• an/per hour
• as per
• as per usual
• pay-per-view
• per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
• per annum
• per capita
• per cent
• per centum
• per contra
• per curiam
• per diem
• per head
• per mensem
• per mill
• per se
• per second per second
• per stirpes

Kids Definition

per

preposition

(ˈ)pər

1

: by means of

2

: to or for each

$10 per day

3

: as indicated by : according to

per list price

Medical Definition

per

1 of 2 preposition

ˈpər 

: by the means or agency of : by way of : through

enter through the mouth lining and per the bloodstream to the stomach

—Sydney (Australia) Bulletin

blood per rectum

see per os

per

2 of 2 abbreviation

1

period; periodic

2

person

Legal Definition

per

preposition

ˈpər 

: as stated by

—used to indicate the author of an opinion with which the majority of judges concur