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.
Japan's birth rate has fallen to unprecedented lows since records began 125 years ago. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025 The United States’s birth rate has been in decline for decades, falling even more sharply since the Great Recession, reaching a record low in 2023. The Hill, 7 May 2025 And the birth rate for women ages 20 to 24 – about 56 births for every 1,000 women – was just slightly above the rate for women in their late 30s. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025 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 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 4 Jun. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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