per

preposition

\ ˈpər

Definition of per

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : by the means or agency of : through per bearer

2 : with respect to every member of a specified group : for each

3 : according to —often used with as per instructionsas per usual

per

adverb

Definition of per (Entry 2 of 4)

: for each : apiece a bargain at $3.50 per

per

abbreviation

Definition of per (Entry 3 of 4)

1 period

2 person

per-

prefix

Definition of per- (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : throughout : thoroughly peruse

2a : containing the largest possible or a relatively large proportion of a (specified) chemical element perchloroethylene

b : containing an element in its highest or a high oxidation state perchloric acid

Synonyms Using Per as a Preposition: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More about per

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Synonyms for per

Synonyms: Preposition

by, in, through, via, with

Synonyms: Adverb

all, apiece, each, per capita

Using Per as a Preposition: Usage Guide

Preposition

Per occurs most frequently in business contexts; its use outside such contexts is often criticized but is quite widespread, especially in sense 2. Its most common and natural nonbusiness uses always involve figures, usually in relation to price $150 per performance , automobiles 32 miles per gallon 55 miles per hour , or sports. averages 15 points and 9 rebounds per game

Examples of per in a Sentence

Preposition

The speed limit is 35 miles per hour. The car gets 32 miles per gallon. He averages 15 points per game. Per your advice, I accepted their offer.

Adverb

you can have them at 50 cents per or three for $1.25

Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition

These days, Cruz tends to limit herself to one film per year. — Gaby Wood, Marie Claire, "Penélope Cruz Isn't Scared to Look Back," 4 Jan. 2019 In general, car batteries older than three years should be tested at least once per year. — Brigitt Earley, Woman's Day, "6 Ways to Stay Safe on Your Next Family Road Trip," 29 Nov. 2018 Those were the per-game rushing averages for the Seahawks and Vikings going into the game, first and 30th in the NFL, respectively. — Bob Condotta, The Seattle Times, "The Final Word: Bob Condotta examines what worked in the Seahawks’ win vs. the Vikings," 11 Dec. 2018 To improve battery life, Razer ditched per-key RGB lighting in favor of one zone for the whole keyboard. — Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, "The Razer Blade Stealth gets an overhaul with a 4K display and better graphics," 4 Dec. 2018 One is called Holiday Date, and per a Hallmark spokesperson, will have Hanukkah elements because the holiday falls over Christmas next year (December 22-30, to be exact). — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, "Here's Why Hallmark's Upcoming Hanukkah Movies Are Such a Big Deal," 1 Dec. 2018 New Jersey had the highest mean download speed — 121 megabits per second — while Rhode Island had the fastest upload speed — 63 Mbps — in Q2 and Q3 of 2018. — Rani Molla, Recode, "U.S. internet speeds rose nearly 40 percent this year," 12 Dec. 2018 Speeds vary by tortoise, experts say, but one British tortoise, Bertie, was clocked at a pace of .92 feet per second, which made him the Guinness World Record holder as fastest tortoise. — Kathleen Hughes, WSJ, "Think Keeping Up With Your Dog Is Tough? Try a Pet Tortoise," 11 Dec. 2018 Choose a windowsill that faces south or southwest, which will get the brightest and most hours of sunlight per day. East- and west-facing windows often work okay. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, "How to Grow an Indoor Herb Garden That Actually Stays Alive All Winter," 7 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

That’s helped bring per-pound retail prices for beef patties down 16% from their September 2015 high of $5.12 to about $4.31 in June, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. — Jacob Bunge, WSJ, "Chicken, Turkey and Tuna Have a Beef With Your Burger," 30 June 2018 Anderton, the Collierville, Tennessee, native averaged 11.78 assists per set and 2.00 digs per set as Samford improved to 6-6 in SoCon play. — Samford Athletics, AL.com, "Samford volleyball preps for two key home matches this weekend," 2 Nov. 2017

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

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Statistics for per

Last Updated

16 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for per

The first known use of per was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for per

per

preposition

English Language Learners Definition of per

: for each

: as directed by or stated in

See the full definition for per in the English Language Learners Dictionary

per

preposition

\ ˈpər

Kids Definition of per

1 : to or for each It cost us ten dollars per day.

2 : as directed by Construction was done per instructions.

per

preposition

\ ˈpər

Medical Definition of per

(Entry 1 of 2)

: by the means or agency of : by way of : through enter through the mouth lining and per the bloodstream to the stomach — Sydney (Australia) Bulletin blood per rectum — see per os