quartile
noun
quar·tile
ˈkwȯr-ˌtī(-ə)l 
-tᵊl
: any of the three values that divide the items of a frequency distribution into four classes with each containing one fourth of the total population
also
: any one of the four classes
Did you know?
A quartile is a quarter of a specific group that has been tested or evaluated in specific ways. The first quartile is the one that scores highest and the fourth quartile scores lowest. For achievement and proficiency tests, the first quartile is the place to be; for blood pressure or cholesterol, the third quartile is healthier.
Examples of quartile in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Several factors are driving the shift toward a buyer's market in New York:
Inventory growth: With 1,660 properties currently listed in the New Residential Market and 415 in the top quartile, buyers have more options than ever.
—
Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Low-income respondents have profoundly less trust in institutions than the top quartile.
—Richard Edelman, TIME, 19 Jan. 2025
In all four Ravens-Bills games with Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen, the total points has stayed under the game total, and this year’s Ravens and Bills offenses rank in the bottom quartile in pace of play (seconds per snap).
—Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
One study found that diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time, while McKinsey research shows that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 21% more likely to be profitable.
—Shelley Zalis, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for quartile 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Low-income respondents have profoundly less trust in institutions than the top quartile.
—Richard Edelman, TIME, 19 Jan. 2025
In all four Ravens-Bills games with Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen, the total points has stayed under the game total, and this year’s Ravens and Bills offenses rank in the bottom quartile in pace of play (seconds per snap).
—Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
One study found that diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time, while McKinsey research shows that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 21% more likely to be profitable.
—Shelley Zalis, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for quartile
Dictionary Entries Near quartile
Cite this Entry
“Quartile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quartile. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share