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

Investigating electronic devices has moved the office’s conviction rate into about the 90th percentile, Carter said, adding that the national rate is about 70%. — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Thompson shot just 40% on midrange attempts last season, in the 36th percentile among combo guards per Cleaning the Glass. — Varun Shankar, Houston Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2026

The one thing to consider, however, is the potential defensive downgrade, with McMahon ranking in the 80th percentile in Outs Above Average at third base. — James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026

Seven days later, the same Panthers held the Falcons to three points, a total that rates in the latter franchise’s lowest sixth percentile for points scored in a regular-season game, also according to Stathead. — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 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