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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.
Much of the attention on the world's plunging birth rate is on east Asian countries like Japan and South Korea. NPR, 28 Nov. 2025 The national birth rate has largely been on a downward trajectory since 2007, with the number of births declining by an average 2% per year from 2015 through 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although the rate has fluctuated since. Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025 At the same time, a key demographic shift in Italy and across Europe — the declining birth rate over the past two decades — is leading to a shrinking pool of young professionals entering the hospitality and restaurant sectors. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 25 Nov. 2025 As an example, in Oregon, the birth rate is really low, and so the growth is in the Medicare line of business. Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Nov. 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 1 Dec. 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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