percent

Or per cent

[per-sent]

noun

1. Also called per centum. one one-hundredth part; 1/100.

2. percentage.

3. British.,  stocks, bonds, etc., that bear an indicated rate of interest.

adjective

1. figured or expressed on the basis of a rate or proportion per hundred (used in combination with a number in expressing rates of interest, proportions, etc.): %

   to get three percent interest.

percent

1. One part in a hundred. For example, 62 percent (also written 62%) means 62 parts out of 100.

percent

1. A fraction expressed as a number of hundredths. Twelve percent of a quantity, for example, is twelve one-hundredths of it. Twelve percent may also be written 12%.

Confusables Note

In the senses “rate or proportion per hundred” and “proportion in general” percent and percentage are frequently interchangeable. With a preceding number, only percent occurs ( a 16 percent decline ); with no preceding number, either occurs, but percentage is much more common: a certain percentage (or percent ) of the land.

Other Word Forms

• percental adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of percent¹

First recorded in 1560–70; short for Medieval Latin per centum “by the hundred”; per, cent

Example Sentences

The far right Sweden Democrats won 20.5 percent of the vote in the 2022 general election - making them the country's second largest party.

From BBC

It should have been expected: the Park Service has lost 24 percent of its employees since January.

From Salon

Last year for example, 87 percent of women and 74 percent of men spent some time on household activities on an average day.

From Salon

If that’s even 10 percent true, it has to rank as one of the cruelest historical ironies imaginable.

From Salon

Not to mention that sales of raw milk — another beverage that Kennedy is a vocal proponent of — increased 20 to 65 percent since last year, according to the market research firm NielsenIQ.

From Salon

Related Words

• bonus 
• chunk 
• fee 
• interest 
• proportion 
• rate 
• ratio 
• royalty