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Definition of percentile

percentile

/pɚˈsɛn.taɪl/
per · cen · tile
Plural:percentiles
•
Adjective:percentile
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percentile Lexical Profile

percentile Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Each of the ninety-nine dividing points that partition an ordered frequency distribution into one hundred groups of equal size, or a value on a scale of one hundred that indicates the percentage of a distribution that is equal to or below it.

Example

"Her standardized test score placed her in the ninety-fifth percentile nationwide."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for percentile

• adjective

1

Relating to, expressed in, or denoting a statistical percentile or a relative standing on a scale of one hundred.

Example

"The admissions committee reviewed each applicant's percentile rank alongside their undergraduate transcripts."

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse 'percentile' with 'percentage'; a percentage indicates a raw proportion out of 100 (such as answering 85% of test questions correctly), whereas a percentile indicates a relative ranking compared to a reference group (being in the 85th percentile means scoring higher than 85% of peers).

• Rhymes for percentile

• Nearby Words

perceiver
percent
percentage
percentile
perceptibility
perceptible
perceptibly

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1885 by the English statistician Francis Galton from 'percent' and the suffix '-ile' (modeled on 'quartile').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Percentile. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/percentile
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