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 overall birth rate fell 1% from the previous year, also continuing a long decline. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026 The nation’s birth rate is also a key factor in determining the financial health of Social Security’s trust fund. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026 For teenagers age 15 to 19, the birth rate was down 7% last year. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 9 Apr. 2026 While critics claim this affects women’s employment prospects and contributes to Japan’s low birth rate, conservatives maintain that any change would undermine the traditional family unit and cause confusion among children. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 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 17 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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