ratio

noun

ra·​tio ˈrā-shē-ˌō How to pronounce ratio (audio)
-(ˌ)shō
plural ratios
Synonyms of rationext
1
a
: the indicated quotient of two mathematical expressions
b
: the relationship in quantity, amount, or size between two or more things : proportion
2
: the expression of the relative values of gold and silver as determined by a country's currency laws

Examples of ratio in a Sentence

What is the length-to-width ratio? the ratio of students to teachers in the school is nine to one
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The ratio of officers to inmates at state prisons is still too low. Adam Beam, AJC.com, 20 Mar. 2026 That range spans about 370 parts-per-billion between the various estimates, with some overlapping with Fermilab’s experimental data and others, particularly from the older R-ratio methods, disagreeing with Fermilab’s data at greater than the 5-sigma threshold. Big Think, 19 Mar. 2026 Although Dallas County is in the lower range of debt-to-income ratios, surrounding counties such as Denton, Ellis and Kaufman recorded higher levels, data shows. Victoria Baeza Garcia, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026 That’s a 100-to-1 ratio of agents to humans. Jake Angelo, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ratio

Word History

Etymology

Latin, computation, reason — more at reason entry 1

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ratio was in 1660

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ratio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratio. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

ratio

noun
ra·​tio ˈrā-shō How to pronounce ratio (audio)
-shē-ˌō
plural ratios
1
: the quotient of two numbers or mathematical expressions
the ratio of 6 to 3 may be expressed as 6:3, ⁶⁄₃, and 2
2
: the relationship in quantity, amount, or size between two or more things
women outnumbered men in the ratio of three to one

Medical Definition

ratio

noun
plural ratios
: the relationship in quantity, amount, or size between two or more things see sex ratio

More from Merriam-Webster on ratio

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster