proportion

1 of 2

noun

pro·​por·​tion prə-ˈpȯr-shən How to pronounce proportion (audio)
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
3
: the relation of one part to another or to the whole with respect to magnitude, quantity, or degree : ratio
4
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 sense 1b, mean sense 1c

proportion

2 of 2

verb

proportioned; proportioning prə-ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce proportion (audio)

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
Phrases
in proportion

Examples of proportion in a Sentence

Noun 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 on the Web
Noun
One sign of the struggles that lower-income consumers have faced is that the proportion of borrowers who are behind on credit cards or auto loans has risen in the past two years to the highest levels in about a decade. Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2024 What’s more interesting—and, frankly, surprising—is that several other top schools managed to maintain or even increase their proportion of Black students, including at Yale, Princeton, and Duke. Michael J. Petrilli, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
The outsize date complication, meanwhile, has come to define Lange’s aesthetic, but its positioning on the dial is equally important: Located at 1 o’clock, its window is proportioned according to the golden mean of 1.618 and is machined from the same metal as the watch case. Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2024 The tourbillon model, for example, does not list the watch’s case size, a basic detail every wearer wants to know to ensure the case is suitably proportioned to his or her wrist. Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for proportion 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'proportion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English proporcioun, proporcion "comparative relation in magnitude, ratio," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French proporcion, proporciun, borrowed from Latin prōportiōn-, prōportiō "analogy, proper spatial relation between parts" (Medieval Latin also "comparative relation in magnitude"), univerbation of prō portiōne "in the degree proper to each, proportionately" — more at portion entry 1

Verb

Middle English proporciounen "to compose (a mixture) according to proportions, measure (two things) in relation to each other, form according to proper proportions," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French proporcioner, borrowed from Medieval Latin prōportiōnāre, derivative of Latin prōportiōn-, prōportiō "analogy, proper spatial relation between parts" — more at proportion entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of proportion was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near proportion

Cite this Entry

“Proportion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proportion. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

proportion

1 of 2 noun
pro·​por·​tion p(r)ə-ˈpōr-shən How to pronounce proportion (audio)
-ˈpȯr-
1
: the size, number, or amount of one thing or group as compared to the size, number, or amount of another
the proportion of boys to girls in our class is three to one
2
: a balanced or pleasing arrangement
out of proportion
3
: a statement of the equality of two ratios (as ⁴⁄₂ = ¹⁰⁄₅) compare extreme entry 2 sense 2, mean entry 4 sense 2b
4
: a fair or just share
did our proportion of the work
5
: dimension sense 1b
a crisis of large proportions
the proportions of a room

proportion

2 of 2 verb
proportioned; proportioning
-sh(ə-)niŋ
1
: to adjust something to fit with something else
2
: to make the parts of go well with each other

More from Merriam-Webster on proportion

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