quartile

noun

quar·​tile ˈkwȯr-ˌtī(-ə)l How to pronounce quartile (audio)
-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

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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
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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 

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Latin quartus

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quartile was in 1879

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.

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