quintile

noun

quin·​tile ˈkwin-ˌtī(-ə)l How to pronounce quintile (audio)
: any of the four values that divide the items of a frequency distribution into five classes with each containing one fifth of the total population
also : any one of the five classes

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Breaking Down the Meaning of Quintile

Many people have a deep interest in statistics about themselves, whether the information provided is about income, ice-cream consumption, or trash production. And any such rating can be divided into fifths, or quintiles. The fifth or lowest quintile would include the 20 percent of the population who make the least money or eat the least ice cream or generate the least trash, and the first quintile would include the 20 percent who make, eat, or generate the most.

Examples of quintile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For the middle quintile of earners, the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates the annual loss in post-tax income would amount to $1,200. Tiana Lowe Doescher, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025 These names are Russell 3000 stocks that are in the top quintile for low volatility and buybacks. Pia Singh, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025 Enrollment gains were seen for students at every quintile of family income, led by a 7.3% increase in the bottom quintile, more than twice the 3.5% growth for students from families in the top income quintile. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 Evercore screened the Russell 3000 for names that are in the bottom quintile for momentum, that are in quintiles three to five for size and in the top quintile for buybacks. Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for quintile

Word History

Etymology

Latin quintus + English -ile entry 2

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quintile was in 1922

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Cite this Entry

“Quintile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quintile. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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