per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta (ˌ)pər-ˈka-pə-tə 

1

: per unit of population : by or for each person

the highest income per capita of any state in the union

2

: equally to each individual

Synonyms

• all
• apiece
• each
• per

Examples of per capita in a Sentence

we expect the students to receive less funding per capita this year due to a marked increase in the school-age population

Recent Examples on the Web

Alaska has one of the highest concentrations of federal government workers per capita outside the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. —Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2025

The red and blue states also receive similar amounts for military and non-military wages (excluding the U.S. Post Office, which is self-funded) on a nominal ($650 billion) and per capita ($4,900) basis. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Stephen Henriques, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025

Three decades ago, the European Union’s G.D.P. per capita, a measure of economic output for each person, was 68 percent of the United States’. —German Lopez, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025

Major Medicaid changes like a per capita cap would likely be needed to meet such a big target number. —Peter Sullivan, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, by heads

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta (ˌ)pər-ˈkap-ət-ə 

: by or for each person

per capita income

Legal Definition

per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta pər-ˈka-pə-tə 

1

: equally to each individual

all property to pass to the descendants per capita

—used of a method of distributing an especially intestate estate compare per stirpes

Note: Per capita distribution of an estate provides each descendant with an equal share of the estate's assets regardless of the degree of his or her kinship. Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., all receive equal shares.

2

: per unit of population : by or for each individual

a high per capita tax burden

Etymology

Medieval Latin, by heads