percentage

noun

per·​cent·​age pər-ˈsen-tij 

1

a

: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths

a high percentage of students attended

b

: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent

the percentage equals the rate times the base

2

a

: a share of winnings or profits

b

: advantage, profit

no percentage in going around looking like an old sack of laundry

—Wallace Stegner

3

: an indeterminate part : proportion

4

a

: probability

b

: favorable odds

Synonyms

• chance
• odds
• probability

Examples of percentage in a Sentence

If a goalie saves 96 out of 100 shots, his save percentage is 96 percent.

The percentages of women completing high school and college were 95 percent and 52 percent, respectively.

What percentage of your income do you spend on rent?

Recent Examples on the Web

Young men support her as well, but by much smaller percentages. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Those signatures must be from a percentage of voters statewide. —Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024

An automatic recount is triggered in Pennsylvania if the margin between the candidates is within half a percentage of the vote. —Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024

In some states, the margin has to fall within a specific percentage in order for candidates to request a recount. —Chantelle Lee, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing percentage

• fielding percentage
• no percentage
• on-base percentage
• percentage point
• slugging percentage

Kids Definition

percentage

noun

per·​cent·​age pər-ˈsent-ij 

1

a

: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths

a high percentage of students attended

b

: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent

the percentage equals the rate times the base

2

a

: probability sense 3a

play the percentages

b

: favorable odds