per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta (ˌ)pər-ˈka-pə-tə 

1

: per unit of population : by or for each person

the highest income per capita of any state in the union

2

: equally to each individual

Synonyms of per capita

• a shot
• each
• per
• a pop

Examples of per capita in a Sentence

we expect the students to receive less funding per capita this year due to a marked increase in the school-age population

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite having a population smaller than Belgium’s and a primary language shared by no other country, Israel currently has almost four times as much unicorn valuation per capita as France, and more than three times as much as Germany. — Andrew McAfee, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2026

By the end of the 1880s, the per capita debt load in Kansas was four times the national average, with the amount owed on mortgages outpacing the total value of real estate in the state by 27 percent. — Kyle Paoletta, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Vietnam's economy increased 8% in 2025, with GDP per capita reaching $5,066, according to World Bank data. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

But the state still carries more than $30 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, one of the largest burdens, per capita, in the nation, and isn’t expected to finish paying that off until well into the 2040s. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, by heads

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta (ˌ)pər-ˈkap-ət-ə 

: by or for each person

per capita income

Legal Definition

per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta pər-ˈka-pə-tə 

1

: equally to each individual

all property to pass to the descendants per capita

—used of a method of distributing an especially intestate estate compare per stirpes

Note: Per capita distribution of an estate provides each descendant with an equal share of the estate's assets regardless of the degree of his or her kinship. Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., all receive equal shares.

2

: per unit of population : by or for each individual

a high per capita tax burden

Etymology

Medieval Latin, by heads