quartile

noun

quar·​tile ˈkwȯr-ˌtī(-ə)l 

-tᵊl

: any of the three values that divide the items of a frequency distribution into four classes with each containing one fourth of the total population

also : any one of the four classes

Did you know?

A quartile is a quarter of a specific group that has been tested or evaluated in specific ways. The first quartile is the one that scores highest and the fourth quartile scores lowest. For achievement and proficiency tests, the first quartile is the place to be; for blood pressure or cholesterol, the third quartile is healthier.

Examples of quartile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The wealthiest 25% of people in northern and western Europe had mortality rates that were about 35% lower than participants in the wealthiest quartile in the U.S. —Irene N. Papanicolas, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2025

This is in contrast with those locations in the top quartile that have engagement levels at the 76th percentile and 67% employee turnover. —Alex Draper, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025

Those 35- to 44-year-olds who are in lower income quartiles have seen the biggest declines in homeownership compared with their peers. —Lorie Konish, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2025

For at least a decade, starting around 2013, students in the bottom quartile have been losing ground on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a key exam that tests a national sample of fourth and eighth grade students in math and reading. —Sarah Mervosh, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Latin quartus

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quartile

• mortal
• immortal