How to pronounce percentile
Say it like per-SEN-tyle. Percentile has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce percentile. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- per
- SEN
- tyle
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Percentile pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- perKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- SENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tyleGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of percentile
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: puh-SEN-tyle.
What does percentile mean?
- Any of the ninety-nine points that divide an ordered distribution into one hundred parts, each containing one per cent of the population.
- Any one of the hundred groups so divided.“She is highly intelligent, she has an IQ in the top percentile.”
Where does percentile come from?
Coined by Francis Galton in 1885, from percent + -ile.
Words that rhyme with percentile
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of percentile.
Questions about saying percentile
How do you pronounce percentile?
Say per-SEN-tyle. The American pronunciation is /pɚˈsɛnˌtaɪl/. In British English it is /pəˈsɛntaɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in percentile?
Percentile has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEN). Broken into parts: per · SEN · tyle.
Is percentile pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /pəˈsɛntaɪl/ (puh-SEN-tyle).