per cent

A form of percent — For every hundred (used with preceding numeral to form a noun phrase expressing a proportion).

Meanings

nounper cent (plural per cent)

alternative per. cent · alternative per cent.

  1. CommonwealthalternativeAlternative form of percent.

    The wānangas are largely oriented to Māori people, who represent 16 per cent of the New Zealand population.

    2018, Shantha Liyanage, Antonio Díaz Andrade, “Changing role of research and innovation in New Zealand universities”, in V. V. Krishna, editor, Universities in the National Innovation Systems: Experiences from the Asia-Pacific, Abingdon, Oxfordshire; New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, part I (Japan, Australia and New Zealand)
    3 more examples

    Three huge veins of iron ore, have been discovered in Hawley, Mass., worth 63 per. cent of pure metal, and easily wrought.

    1847, editorial staff, “Iron in Massachusetts”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 9, page 66

    London Transport fares are now about 92 per cent. above prewar, but it is claimed that costs have risen by 140 per cent.

    1954 October 28, “Notes and News: London Fares Increase”, in Railway Magazine, page 726

    The South Americans had turned back two military deportation flights but changed course when faced with up to 50 per cent duty on their exports.

    2025 January 27, David Charter, “Fafo diplomacy: How Colombia found out Trump meant business”, in The Times, archived from the original on 27 Jan 2025
prepositional phrase

alternative per. cent · alternative per cent.

  1. CommonwealthalternativeAlternative form of percent.

Origin

  1. Latinper centum
  2. Englishper cent

From Latin per centum.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

per cent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/per%20cent

MLA

“per cent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/per%20cent. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “per cent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/per%20cent.

Source: per cent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.