PERCENT

percentage, percent, per centum, pct

(noun) a proportion in relation to a whole (which is usually the amount per hundred)

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

percent (not comparable)

For every hundred (used with preceding numeral to form a noun phrase expressing a proportion). [from 16th c.]

Usage notes

• A percentage is often denoted by the character %.

• The difference of two percentages is measured by percentage point, not by percent.

Noun

percent (plural percent or percents)

A percentage, a proportion (especially per hundred).

One part per hundred; one percent. [from 19th c.]

Prepositional phrase

percent

Per hundred.

Usage notes

Percent/per cent originated as a shortening of the Latin phrase per centum, ā€œper hundredā€, and historically the use of the word as a noun (as in ā€œhalf a percentā€ or ā€œpercentsā€) was regarded as an error, though such use has now become so common that it is recognized by all other major dictionaries, and a few treat the word as being only a noun. Of those which recognize non-nounal uses, most label it an adverb and many also label it an adjective though it does not meet tests of adjectivity.

Source: Wiktionary



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Word of the Day

22 February 2025

ANALYSIS

(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., ā€˜the father of the brideā€™ instead of ā€˜the brideā€™s fatherā€™


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Coffee Trivia

Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world. Each year Brazil exports more than 44 million bags of coffee. Vietnam follows at exporting over 27 million bags each year.

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