proportion

1 of 2

noun

pro·​por·​tion prə-ˈpȯr-shən 

1

: harmonious relation of parts to each other or to the whole : balance, symmetry

2

a

: proper or equal share

each did her proportion of the work

b

: quota, percentage

3

: the relation of one part to another or to the whole with respect to magnitude, quantity, or degree : ratio

4

: size entry 1, dimension

5

: a statement of equality between two ratios in which the first of the four terms divided by the second equals the third divided by the fourth (as in 4/2=10/5) compare extreme sense 1b, mean sense 1c

proportion

2 of 2

verb

proportioned; proportioning prə-ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)niŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to adjust (a part or thing) in size relative to other parts or things

2

: to make the parts of harmonious or symmetrical

3

: apportion, allot

Phrases

in proportion

: proportional sense 1

Synonyms

Noun

• balance
• coherence
• concinnity
• consonance
• consonancy
• harmony
• orchestration
• symmetry
• symphony
• unity

Examples of proportion in a Sentence

Noun

His ears were drawn out of proportion with his head.

The size of the window seems out of proportion with the height of the wall.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

One sign of the struggles that lower-income consumers have faced is that the proportion of borrowers who are behind on credit cards or auto loans has risen in the past two years to the highest levels in about a decade. —Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2024

What’s more interesting—and, frankly, surprising—is that several other top schools managed to maintain or even increase their proportion of Black students, including at Yale, Princeton, and Duke. —Michael J. Petrilli, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

Verb

The outsize date complication, meanwhile, has come to define Lange’s aesthetic, but its positioning on the dial is equally important: Located at 1 o’clock, its window is proportioned according to the golden mean of 1.618 and is machined from the same metal as the watch case. —Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2024

The tourbillon model, for example, does not list the watch’s case size, a basic detail every wearer wants to know to ensure the case is suitably proportioned to his or her wrist. —Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English proporcioun, proporcion "comparative relation in magnitude, ratio," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French proporcion, proporciun, borrowed from Latin prōportiōn-, prōportiō "analogy, proper spatial relation between parts" (Medieval Latin also "comparative relation in magnitude"), univerbation of prō portiōne "in the degree proper to each, proportionately" — more at portion entry 1

Verb

Middle English proporciounen "to compose (a mixture) according to proportions, measure (two things) in relation to each other, form according to proper proportions," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French proporcioner, borrowed from Medieval Latin prōportiōnāre, derivative of Latin prōportiōn-, prōportiō "analogy, proper spatial relation between parts" — more at proportion entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing proportion

• blow out of proportion
• get out of proportion
• in proportion to
• keep things in proportion
• out of proportion with

Kids Definition

proportion

1 of 2 noun

pro·​por·​tion p(r)ə-ˈpōr-shən 

-ˈpȯr-

1

: the size, number, or amount of one thing or group as compared to the size, number, or amount of another

the proportion of boys to girls in our class is three to one

2

: a balanced or pleasing arrangement

out of proportion

3

: a statement of the equality of two ratios (as ⁴⁄₂ = ¹⁰⁄₅) compare extreme entry 2 sense 2, mean entry 4 sense 2b

4

: a fair or just share

did our proportion of the work

5

: dimension sense 1b

a crisis of large proportions

the proportions of a room

proportion

2 of 2 verb

proportioned; proportioning

-sh(ə-)niŋ

1

: to adjust something to fit with something else

2

: to make the parts of go well with each other