Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

centile

noun

/ˈsɛn.taɪl/

Definition

A centile is a statistical measure that divides a set of data into 100 equal parts. It indicates the relative standing of a value within a distribution.

Examples

A child in the 85th centile for height is taller than 85% of children their age.
Health professionals often use centiles to assess growth patterns in children.
The 50th centile, also known as the median, is the midpoint of a data set.

Meaning

Centiles are commonly used in statistics and research to understand how a particular measurement compares to a broader population. For instance, being in the 70th centile of weight means that a person weighs more than 70% of the population.