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

Around the world, the evidence for the value of social progress is conclusive: McKinsey’s global research found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to experience above-average profitability. —Paul Klein, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025

Lower-income earners would see much smaller gains, with those in the second and third quartiles receiving a bump of between $15 and $340 in 2026 and between $275 and $1,730 in 2054, Wharton’s analysis finds. —Lorie Konish, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2025

The 2024 Mets had a sneaky good rotation, with both Severino and Manaea residing in the top quartile. —Tony Blengino, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025

However, all of the growth seen in this year’s NAEP math results in North Carolina was due to higher scores among the top quartile of students. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Latin quartus

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quartile

• mortal
• immortal