proportion
proportion Lexical Profile
proportion Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A part, share, or number considered in comparative relation to a whole.
"A large proportion of the company's annual budget is dedicated to research and development."
The relationship of one thing to another in terms of quantity, size, or number; harmonious or proper relation between parts.
"The classical temple was admired by architects for its graceful proportion and balance."
The dimensions, size, or extent of something (usually used in the plural).
"The storm grew into a natural disaster of historic proportions."
A mathematical statement or equation asserting that two ratios are equal.
"Students learned how to solve for the unknown variable in a mathematical proportion."
• verb
To adjust or regulate something so that it has a suitable or particular relationship to something else.
"The legal code attempts to proportion the severity of the penalty to the gravity of the offense."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to physical size, dimensions, or magnitude, the plural form 'proportions' is almost exclusively used (e.g., 'a room of grand proportions').
• Rhymes for proportion
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French proportion and directly from Latin proportio ('comparative relation, analogy'), formed from the phrase pro portione meaning 'according to each part'.