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 ratio of Cboe's S&P 500 Constituent Volatility Index VIXEQ to VIX has widened to the 98th percentile as correlations remain low. —Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 May 2026

His minus-1 Outs Above Average put him in the 21st percentile. —Gabrielle Starr, Hartford Courant, 11 May 2026

Bailey is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner (2024, 2025) one of the top defensive players in the game, ranked in the 99th percentile in Fielding Run Value. —Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 9 May 2026

The 49ers like Height for his relentless play style and explosiveness (his vertical and broad jump at the scouting combine ranked in the 94th and 89th percentile among edge defenders). —Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for percentile

• campanile
• chamomile
• domicil
• domicile
• mercantile
• neuropil
• peristyle
• reconcile
• thermopile
• aisle
• bile
• chyle

Medical 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