quartile

noun

quar·​tile ˈkwȯr-ˌtī(-ə)l 

-tᵊl

: any of the three values that divide the items of a frequency distribution into four classes with each containing one fourth of the total population

also : any one of the four classes

Did you know?

A quartile is a quarter of a specific group that has been tested or evaluated in specific ways. The first quartile is the one that scores highest and the fourth quartile scores lowest. For achievement and proficiency tests, the first quartile is the place to be; for blood pressure or cholesterol, the third quartile is healthier.

Examples of quartile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This figure also marks a significant jump from a decade ago, when top-quartile companies with gender-diverse leadership outperformed their less diverse counterparts by 15%. —Vidya Plainfield, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

The fund’s total returns over the trailing one-, three-, five-, 10- and 15-year periods have been in the top quartile of its peer group, per Morningstar. —Michelle Fox, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025

Looking at comparable players, Tatis has top-quartile bat speed and a 30-degree swing tilt — a swing that’s on the flatter end but not as flat as the swings for Randy Arozarena or Corbin Carroll. —Eno Sarris, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025

Financial terms were not released, but the annual value ranks in the top quartile of NFL training facility agreements, according to someone familiar with the details. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Latin quartus

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quartile

• mortal
• immortal