percentage /; AmE / noun

1 [C with sing./pl. verb; usually sing.]

the number, amount or rate of sth, expressed as part of a total which is 100; a part or share of a whole:

The percentage of sales to Greece has risen.

A high percentage of the female staff are part-time workers.

The figure is expressed as a percentage.

the percentage rise in the average salary

Interest rates are expected to rise by one percentage point (= 1%).

The results were analyzed in percentage terms.

Sales showed a percentage increase on last year's figures.

The shares showed their biggest percentage rise in 21 months.

We have a very big trade deficit as a percentage of GDP.

a high/large/low/small percentage

◆ to calculate/estimate a percentage

◆ a percentage gain/growth/increase/loss/rise

2 [C, usually sing.]

a share of the profits of sth:

He gets a percentage for every car sold.

GRAMMAR

Expressing percentages

Percentages (= numbers of per cent) are written in words as twenty-five per cent and in figures as 25%.

If a percentage is used with an uncountable noun or a singular noun the verb is generally singular:

20% of their electricity is generated by wind power.

If the noun is singular but represents a group of people, the verb is singular in AmE but in BrE it may be singular or plural:

Eighty per cent of the work force is/are against the strike.

If the noun is plural, the verb is plural:

90% of our customers are under the age of 25.

• subsistence allowance
• substance over form
• substantial
• substantially
• substitute
• substitute goods
• substitution effect
• subtenant
• subtotal
• subtract
• suburb
• succession
• succession planning
• successor
• succumb
• sue
• suggestion scheme
• suit
• suite
• suitor
• sum
• sum insured
• summarize
• summary
• summing-up