demography

noun de·mog·ra·phy \ di-ˈmä-grə-fē \

Updated on: 28 Feb 2018

Definition of demography

sociology

: the statistical study of human populations especially with reference to size and density (see density 2c), distribution, and vital statistics

—

demographer

play \-fər\ noun

See demography defined for English-language learners

See demography defined for kids

Examples of demography in a Sentence

the shifting demography of Europe

Recent Examples of demography from the Web

But the complex interaction of demography, welfare and globalisation means that is insufficient. Assuaging the anger of the left-behind means realising that places matter, too.

— The Economist, "Globalisation’s losersThe right way to help declining places," 21 Oct. 2017
This changed the local demography to support Tehran’s planned land corridor through Syria and Iraq.

— naftali bennett, WSJ, "Iran Is Using Syria to Advance Toward the Mediterranean," 7 Aug. 2017
The old liberal idea that the new demography is progressive destiny did not work out as planned.

— victor davis hanson, National Review, "The Progressive Octopus," 26 Sep. 2017
If demography is destiny, Ukraine also has cause for concern.

— judith miller, WSJ, "Ukraine Has Many Problems, and Only One of Them Is Russia," 18 Sep. 2017
For years, colleges and universities were charmed beneficiaries of both demography, with climbing teenage populations, and economics, with a weak economy with growing needs for skilled workers.

— derek thompson, The Atlantic, "This Is the Way the College ‘Bubble’ Ends," 26 July 2017
About two-thirds of pupils score as well or better in a nationwide maths test than demography would predict.

— The Economist, "EdtechTechnology is transforming what happens when a child goes to school," 22 July 2017
Republican strategists looking toward the future were already growing nervous because the changing demography of the U.S. made perfectly clear that minorities would steadily increase as a share of the eligible electorate.

— joshua green, Bloomberg.com, "The Remaking of Donald Trump," 6 July 2017
Same-sex couples are nearly three times as likely to adopt as heterosexual couples, says Gary Gates, a specialist in LGBT demography.

— david crary, The Seattle Times, "For advocates of gay adoption, progress but also obstacles," 17 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'demography.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of demography

demo- + -graphy

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1880

See Words from the same year

Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture

DEMOGRAPHY Defined for English Language Learners

demography

noun

Definition of demography for English Language Learners

: the study of changes (such as the number of births, deaths, marriages, and illnesses) that occur over a period of time in human populations; also : a set of such changes

Medical Dictionary

demography

noun de·mog·ra·phy \ di-ˈmäg-rə-fē \

medical Definition of demography

plural demographies

: the statistical study of human populations especially with reference to size and density, distribution, and vital statistics

—

demographer

play \-fər\ noun

Learn More about demography

Spanish Central: Translation of demography Britannica English: Translation of demography for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about demography

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demography

Definition of demography

demographer

Examples of demography in a Sentence

Recent Examples of demography from the Web

Origin and Etymology of demography

Other Sociology Terms

DEMOGRAPHY Defined for English Language Learners

demography

Definition of demography for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

demography

medical Definition of demography

demographer

Learn More about demography

Seen and Heard

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demographer

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Origin and Etymology of demography

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demography

Definition of demography for English Language Learners

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demographer

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