percentile
noun
per·cen·tile
pər-ˈsen-ˌtī(-ə)l 
: a value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of a distribution that is equal to or below it
a score in the 95th percentile
Examples of percentile in a Sentence
His height and weight are in the 80th percentile for boys his age.
Recent Examples on the Web
The grouping of McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu ranks in the 94th percentile in on/off numbers, according to Cleaning the Glass.
—
Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Ashton Gillotte measured in the fifth percentile a year ago, an inch longer than Bain’s, but the Chiefs picked him in the third round, not ninth overall.
—Sam McDowell February 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Sprint speed ranked in the 95th percentile of MLB players helped Smith mitigate early unfamiliarity with reads and reactions off the bat in right field.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026
Ironically, former Oilers defenceman Philip Broberg is in the 99th percentile.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
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Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Ashton Gillotte measured in the fifth percentile a year ago, an inch longer than Bain’s, but the Chiefs picked him in the third round, not ninth overall.
—Sam McDowell February 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
Sprint speed ranked in the 95th percentile of MLB players helped Smith mitigate early unfamiliarity with reads and reactions off the bat in right field.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026
Ironically, former Oilers defenceman Philip Broberg is in the 99th percentile.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for percentile
Cite this Entry
“Percentile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percentile. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
percentile
noun
per·cen·tile
pər-ˈsen-ˌtīl
: a value on a scale of one hundred that indicates the percent of a distribution that is equal to or below it
a percentile score of 95 is a score equal to or better than 95 percent of the scores
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