centile: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Technical, academic, medical, and statistical contexts. Rare in everyday conversation.
Quick answer
What does “centile” mean?
A value on a scale of 0 to 100 that shows the percentage of a distribution that is equal to or below it. Equivalent to 'percentile'.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A value on a scale of 0 to 100 that shows the percentage of a distribution that is equal to or below it. Equivalent to 'percentile'.
In statistics and data analysis, a centile (often called percentile) divides a set of observations into 100 equal parts. The 50th centile is the median. The term is also used in growth charts (e.g., for children's height/weight) and standardized testing to compare an individual's performance to a reference group.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'centile' is used, particularly in medical and educational contexts (e.g., 'birthweight centile charts'). In American English, 'percentile' is almost universally preferred; 'centile' is rare and may be considered a Britishism.
Connotations
Both terms are neutral and technical. 'Centile' might sound slightly more clinical or specifically British to an American ear.
Frequency
'Percentile' is overwhelmingly more frequent in both varieties, but especially in American English. 'Centile' has very low frequency overall.
Grammar
How to Use “centile” in a Sentence
(be) in the [number]th centile (for/of sth)(plot/place) a child on the [number]th centile(calculate/derive) the centile rankVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “centile” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The baby's head circumference is on the 75th centile, which is perfectly normal.
- Researchers used the 25th centile as a cut-off point for defining low income in the cohort.
American English
- While 'percentile' is standard, some medical journals publishing UK studies retain 'centile.'
- His test score placed him in the top centile of all applicants.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used in HR analytics discussing employee performance distributions.
Academic
Common in statistics, psychology, epidemiology, and education research papers.
Everyday
Very rare. Parents might encounter it in paediatric health check-ups.
Technical
Standard term in medical anthropometry (growth measurement) and psychometric testing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “centile”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “centile”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “centile”
- Using 'centile' in everyday American English (use 'percentile').
- Pronouncing it /ˈsɛntiːl/ (should be /ˈsɛntaɪl/).
- Confusing 'centile' with 'decile' (which divides into 10 parts) or 'quartile' (4 parts).
- Saying 'He scored 80 centile' instead of 'He is in the 80th centile.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in meaning they are essentially identical, both dividing a distribution into 100 parts. 'Percentile' is the far more common term globally, while 'centile' has specific currency in British medical and some statistical contexts.
Unless you are working in a British clinical (especially paediatric) setting or reading materials from such a context, you should default to using 'percentile'. It will be understood everywhere and is the standard statistical term.
You say 'the twenty-fifth centile' (or percentile). The 'th' is pronounced as in 'fifth'.
A percentage is a proportion out of 100 (e.g., '80% correct'). A centile is a rank or position within a sorted list of 100 groups (e.g., 'the 80th centile' means you scored better than 80% of the group'). A percentage score can be converted into a centile rank, but they are not the same thing.
A value on a scale of 0 to 100 that shows the percentage of a distribution that is equal to or below it. Equivalent to 'percentile'.
Centile is usually technical, academic, medical, and statistical contexts. rare in everyday conversation. in register.
Centile: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛntaɪl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛnˌtaɪl/ or /ˈsɛntəl/ (less common). Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CENT' as in 100 (like a century or cent) and '-ILE' as in 'profile' or 'percentile'. A centile gives you a profile out of 100.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LADDER OF 100 RUNGS (each rung represents a centile, showing your relative position on the ladder of comparison).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'centile' MOST specifically and commonly used?