per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta (ˌ)pər-ˈka-pə-tə How to pronounce per capita (audio)
Synonyms of per capitanext
1
: per unit of population : by or for each person
the highest income per capita of any state in the union
2
: equally to each individual

Synonyms of per capita

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Examples of per capita in a Sentence

we expect the students to receive less funding per capita this year due to a marked increase in the school-age population
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gaza now has more child amputees per capita than anywhere in the world. — Edith M. Lederer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 California ranked as the most energy-efficient state in the nation, with the lowest residential energy consumption per capita and residents driving an average of just 8,297 miles per year, in a WalletHub analysis of 48 contiguous states. — Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Kansas City also ranked 176th in the assaults per capita metric, the fourth-lowest city in the metric. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026 In the decade to 2015, real per capita incomes in Sub-Saharan Africa grew by about a fifth. — Masood Ahmed, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for per capita

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, by heads

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of per capita was in 1682

Browse Nearby Words

percaline
per capita
per caput
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Per capita.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/per%20capita. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

per capita

adverb or adjective
per cap·​i·​ta (ˌ)pər-ˈkap-ət-ə How to pronounce per capita (audio)
: by or for each person
per capita income

Legal Definition

per capita

adverb or adjective
per cap·​i·​ta pər-ˈka-pə-tə How to pronounce per capita (audio)
1
: equally to each individual
all property to pass to the descendants per capita
—used of a method of distributing an especially intestate estate compare per stirpes

Note: Per capita distribution of an estate provides each descendant with an equal share of the estate's assets regardless of the degree of his or her kinship. Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., all receive equal shares.

2
: per unit of population : by or for each individual
a high per capita tax burden
Etymology

Medieval Latin, by heads

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