birth rate

noun

variants or birthrate
: the ratio between births and individuals in a specified population and time

Examples of birth rate in a Sentence

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 online conversations erupted in the past 24 hours and come as Chinese authorities are trying a range of policy measures to boost the country’s flagging birth rate, which has been falling for decades, to offset an ageing population. Sean Nevin, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026 The outflow, coupled with a record low birth rate, makes California especially reliant on immigration for new workers, which in turn is affected by turmoil in federal immigration policy. Dan Walters, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026 Phillip Levine, an economist at Wellesley College, said the birth rate has declined due to shifts in how women approach work, leisure, and parenting. Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026 Since 1990, the teen birth rate has dropped by 73%, while the rate for women over 40 has increased by 193%. Memorialcare Saddleback Medical Center, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for birth rate

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of birth rate was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Birth rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birth%20rate. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

birthrate

noun
birth·​rate -ˌrāt How to pronounce birthrate (audio)
: the number of births for every hundred or every thousand persons in a given area or group during a given time

Medical Definition

birth rate

noun
variants or birthrate
: the ratio between births and individuals in a specified population and time often expressed as number of live births per hundred or per thousand population per year

called also natality

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