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.
China's ongoing efforts to raise its birth rate have seemingly contributed to a surge in New Zealand's top-performing stock. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025 The demographic crisis has become one of Japan’s most pressing issues, with its birth rate continually declining despite government efforts to encourage young people to get married and start families. Kathleen Magramo and Junko Ogura, CNN Money, 5 May 2025 The birth rate of women 35-39 also went up 1 percent during that time, and the birth rate of women 40-44 increased by 2 percent. Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025 The government offers generous tax breaks to families with more than two children, a policy aimed at increasing the Hungarian birth rate, and this would be Kiss’s third. Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025 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 22 May. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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