ratio
B2Formal, Technical, Academic
Definition
Meaning
The quantitative relation between two amounts, indicating how many times one value contains or is contained within the other.
In a broader sense, it can refer to the relationship or proportion between two connected things or groups, often used in contexts like mathematics, finance, demographics, and social media.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word implies a specific, measurable comparison. It is inherently relational and requires at least two entities for the concept to be meaningful.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Pronunciations differ slightly.
Connotations
Equal connotations of precision and measurement in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English in financial/business contexts (e.g., P/E ratio).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the ratio of X to Ya ratio between X and Yin a/the ratio of X:YVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to analyse financial health (e.g., 'The company's current ratio is strong, indicating good short-term liquidity').
Academic
Central to mathematical and scientific analysis (e.g., 'The study found a positive correlation, with an odds ratio of 3.2').
Everyday
Used in cooking, mixing, or describing demographics (e.g., 'The school has a favourable pupil-to-teacher ratio').
Technical
Precise measurement in engineering, photography, statistics (e.g., 'The gear ratio determines the vehicle's torque').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
American English
- The politician's controversial tweet was quickly ratioed by thousands of critical replies.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Mix the paint in a ratio of one part blue to two parts white.
- The ratio of boys to girls in the class is equal.
- A good debt-to-income ratio is important for getting a mortgage.
- The screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is standard for modern TVs.
- Analysts were concerned about the bank's falling capital adequacy ratio.
- The ratio of nurses to patients has a direct impact on the quality of care.
- The stoichiometric ratio of reactants must be precise for the chemical reaction to proceed efficiently.
- The study adjusted for confounding variables and reported a hazard ratio of 1.8 for the treatment group.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of making RATIOnal decisions based on comparing two numbers.
Conceptual Metaphor
BALANCE IS A RATIO (e.g., 'strike a balance', 'tipping the scales').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'rate' (скорость, тариф) или 'rating' (рейтинг). 'Ratio' — это именно соотношение *между* двумя величинами, результат деления одной на другую.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'ratio' as a verb (incorrect: 'Let's ratio the ingredients'; correct: 'Let's mix in a 2:1 ratio').
- Confusing 'ratio of A to B' with 'ratio between A and B' (both are acceptable).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'aspect ratio' most commonly used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its core meaning is mathematical, it is widely used in finance (P/E ratio), photography (aspect ratio), social sciences (sex ratio), and everyday contexts (mixing ratios in recipes).
A ratio compares two quantities of the same unit (e.g., 2kg:1kg). A rate compares two quantities of different units, often per unit of time (e.g., 60 km/hour).
It is read as 'five to one'. This means for every five units of the first thing, there is one unit of the second.
This is informal, primarily internet slang (especially on Twitter/X). It means to reply to a post with so many critical or mocking comments that they vastly outnumber the post's likes, indicating public disagreement.
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