birth rate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to Formal. Common in academic, journalistic, and technical contexts; less common in casual conversation.
Quick answer
What does “birth rate” mean?
The number of live births per thousand of the population per year.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The number of live births per thousand of the population per year.
A statistical measure of the number of children being born, often used as an indicator of population growth, demographic trends, and societal health. Can also refer loosely to the relative frequency of births in a specific group or area.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling remains the same (two words, not hyphenated). The term is identically used and understood.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. Carries connotations of demographic analysis, policy planning, and social trends.
Frequency
Equal frequency in academic, news, and governmental discourse in both the UK and US.
Grammar
How to Use “birth rate” in a Sentence
The [ADJ] birth rate in [PLACE]A birth rate of [NUMBER]To [VERB] the birth rateVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “birth rate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Birth-rate is not used as a verb. Use 'The birth rate fell'.
- The government aims to birth-rate the population (incorrect).
American English
- Birth-rate is not used as a verb. Use 'The birth rate increased'.
- They tried to birth-rate their way out of the crisis (incorrect).
adverb
British English
- Not applicable; the term is not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable; the term is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- birth-rate statistics
- birth-rate data
American English
- birth rate figures
- birth rate analysis
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Analyzing long-term labour market trends and consumer base projections.
Academic
Core term in demography, sociology, economics, and public health research.
Everyday
Discussed in news reports about population ageing or government family policies.
Technical
Precise calculation: (Number of live births / Total population) × 1000.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “birth rate”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “birth rate”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “birth rate”
- Using as a verb (e.g., 'The country birth rates quickly').
- Confusing with 'fertility rate' (which is births per woman of childbearing age).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Birth rate is births per 1000 total population per year. Fertility rate is typically the average number of children born per woman during her reproductive years.
The standard form is two words: 'birth rate'. The hyphenated form 'birth-rate' is less common and the single word 'birthrate' is rare.
Yes, in ecological or agricultural contexts (e.g., 'the birth rate of the deer population'), though 'breeding rate' or 'reproduction rate' might be more specific.
It's the total number of live births per 1000 population in a year, without adjustment for the age or sex distribution of the population. It's the most common type of birth rate cited.
The number of live births per thousand of the population per year.
Birth rate is usually neutral to formal. common in academic, journalistic, and technical contexts; less common in casual conversation. in register.
Birth rate: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɜːθ ˌreɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɝːθ ˌreɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Baby boom (period of high birth rate)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'RATE' as speed. 'BIRTH RATE' is the speed at which a population produces new babies per year.
Conceptual Metaphor
POPULATION IS A LIVING ORGANISM (growing, shrinking, healthy, ailing based on birth/death rates).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most precise synonym for 'birth rate' in a technical demographic report?