proportion

noun pro·por·tion \ prə-ˈpȯr-shən \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of proportion

1 : harmonious relation of parts to each other or to the whole : balance, symmetry

2 a : proper or equal share

each did her proportion of the work

b : quota, percentage

3 : the relation of one part to another or to the whole with respect to magnitude, quantity, or degree : ratio

4 : size, dimension

5 : a statement of equality between two ratios in which the first of the four terms divided by the second equals the third divided by the fourth (as in 4/2=10/5) — compare extreme 1b, mean 1c

— in proportion

: proportional 1

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Examples of proportion in a Sentence

His ears were drawn out of proportion with his head.
The size of the window seems out of proportion with the height of the wall.

Recent Examples of proportion from the Web

The sadness was overwhelming but in direct proportion to heightened awareness.

— mark swed, latimes.com, "Mahler's 'Song of the Earth' and sky and sea, the L.A. Phil way," 6 Apr. 2018
The Smoothie King Center sellout crowd of 18,500 sensed a forthcoming dunk of mammoth proportions.

— ron higgins, NOLA.com, "Stumbling, bumbling, fumbling Pelicans giftwrap Easter Sunday win for the Thunder," 2 Apr. 2018
On the other hand, restaurants and other labor-intensive businesses add new workers in proportion to their expansion.

— ally marotti, chicagotribune.com, "Technology jobs in the Chicago area are up, but that's not the whole story," 30 Mar. 2018
The front seats have more than enough elbow and shoulder room for anyone this side of a sumo wrestler, and the center console is svelte enough to encourage manspreading of salacious proportions.

— andrew wendler, Car and Driver, "2018 Hyundai Kona," 26 Mar. 2018
The first half was a struggle of enormous proportions.

— kyle neddenriep, Indianapolis Star, "Like it has all season long, Warren Central finds a way to win," 24 Mar. 2018
The latter funding, mostly awarded in proportion to universities' productivity and impact, can be used for infrastructure or operations in any field.

— erik stokstad, Science | AAAS, "Expectations are high for UKRI, the United Kingdom’s new £6 billion research behemoth," 22 Mar. 2018
Some 9,521 merchant mariners, one of every 26, were killed, suffering more casualties in proportion to their numbers than any U.S. military branch.

— brian albrecht, cleveland.com, "38 German subs sank 22 U.S. ships in Battle of the Atlantic 75 years ago," 20 Mar. 2018
Each party is then given a number of seats in the Bundestag that is in proportion to its share of second votes (for example, 40 percent of the vote would equal 40 percent of the seats).

— Houston Chronicle, "Baseball: Friendswood, Dickinson split 24-6A series," 17 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of proportion

Middle English proporcion, from Anglo-French, from Latin proportion-, proportio, from pro for + portion-, portio portion — more at for

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

proportion Synonyms

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, exponent, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb

proportion

verb

Definition of proportion

proportioned; proportioning play \prə-ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)niŋ\

transitive verb

1 : to adjust (a part or thing) in size relative to other parts or things

2 : to make the parts of harmonious or symmetrical

3 : apportion, allot

Recent Examples of proportion from the Web

When Jolie took on the role, there were criticisms from diehard fans of the video game series that her being American and not ... proportioned to the physical design of the character were setbacks.

— josh spiegel, The Hollywood Reporter, "Is Alicia Vikander Too Good for 'Tomb Raider'?," 16 Mar. 2018
The all-new car’s body is nicely proportioned, albeit less than muscular.

— al haas, Philly.com, "Retooled Chevrolet Equinox provides a solid ride | Al Haas," 6 Mar. 2018
A few of the son’s images were worthy of the name Audubon, but most were awkward imitations of his father’s style, poorly proportioned and lifeless.

— william souder, Smithsonian, "The Fantastic Beasts of John James Audubon’s Little-Known Book on Mammals," 23 Feb. 2018
The looks were layered, say, a jacket over a tunic and trousers, all loose, well-proportioned and easy to wear.

— colleen barry, The Seattle Times, "Versace goes punk wild with homey looks," 13 Jan. 2018
Other new features include a hill start assist, so no more rollback when starting on a incline, electronic brake force distribution which automatically proportions the amount of force to the front and rear brakes, and adjustable Fox QS3 shocks.

— timothy dahl, Popular Mechanics, "Working the Ranch With Honda's New Pioneer UTV," 9 Jan. 2018
The homes are generously proportioned; this one has a huge pantry filled with all different kinds of china and place settings, great big chargers and raffia table mats.

— david a. keeps, House Beautiful, "A Former Director for Valentino Reveals Her Insider Secrets for Decorating a Room," 25 Sep. 2017
The fastback design has been updated with exterior character lines forecast by last year’s X4, but these look better-proportioned when stretched over the longer X6, which has gained 1.8 inches in overall length.

— tony markovich, Car and Driver, "2019 Porsche Cayenne Spied Mostly Uncovered," 15 July 2017
After the prolonged rain associated with hurricanes, the soil may be so soft that trees topple over if the weight is not properly proportioned.

— NOLA.com, "Are your trees ready for hurricane season? 3 problems to look for," 1 July 2017

First Known Use of proportion

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

PROPORTION Defined for English Language Learners

proportion

noun

Definition of proportion for English Language Learners

: an amount that is a part of a whole
: the relationship that exists between the size, number, or amount of two things
: the correct or appropriate relationship between the size, shape, and position of the different parts of something