DictionaryAI

proportion

pruh-POR-shuhn/pɹəˈpɔɹʃən/UKpruh-PAW-shuhn/pɹəˈpɔːʃən/

Pluralproportions

Verbproportions, proportioning, proportioned

11 meanings of proportion

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A part of a total amount or number.

    Like one slice taken from a whole pizza.

    A large proportion of the class walks to school.

    Only a small proportion of the apples were ripe.

    Similarpart, share, fraction, percentage, portion

    Oppositewhole

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable or uncountable
    How big one part is compared to another part or to the whole.

    The proportion of sugar to flour in this recipe matters a lot.

    Keep your drawing in proportion so the head does not look too big.

    Similarratio, relation, relationship, balance

  3. 3
    noununcountable
    A pleasing balance among the parts of something, so nothing looks too big or too small.

    Like a face where the eyes, nose, and mouth all fit together just right.

    The artist drew the face with good proportion.

    Everything in the garden is in proportion, so it feels calm and pleasant.

    Similarbalance, symmetry, harmony

    Oppositedisproportion, asymmetry, imbalance

    Note
  4. 4
    nouncountable
    The fair share of something that each person or thing should get.

    Each child got a fair proportion of the candy.

    We all paid our proportion of the bill at the restaurant.

    Similarshare, portion, part, allotment, quota

  5. 5
    nouncountableplural
    The size or scale of something.

    The festival grew to a proportion no one had expected.

    The flood reached frightening proportions by morning.

    Similarsize, dimensions, magnitude, scale, extent

    Note
  6. 6
    nouncountable
    A statement in math that two ratios, or comparisons of numbers, are equal.

    Our teacher wrote the proportion 2/4 = 6/12 on the board.

    She set up a proportion to find how much flour a bigger cake needs.

    Note
  7. 7
    verbtransitive
    To divide something into fair parts or shares.

    We will proportion the chores so everyone does an equal part.

    The coach proportioned playing time among all the team members.

    Similarapportion, allocate, distribute, allot, divide

    Note
  8. 8
    verbtransitive
    To make the parts of something the right size compared to each other.

    Proportion the figure first, before you add any details to your drawing.

    She proportioned the doll's arms and legs so they looked natural.

    Similarscale, balance, size

    Note
  9. 9
    verbtransitive
    To shape something so its parts are even and balanced.

    The potter proportioned the vase so both sides curved the same way.

    Try to proportion the snowman's body so it does not lean to one side.

    Similarbalance, shape

Less common meanings

  1. 10
    nounarchaiccountable or uncountable
    A way of using three known numbers to find a fourth, unknown number.

    The schoolmaster taught the children proportion so they could figure out prices at the market.

    She used proportion to find the cost of seven yards of cloth when she knew the cost of three.

    Note
  2. 11
    verbarchaictransitive
    To match or be equal to something in size or amount.

    His reward did not proportion his hard work.

    The price proportioned the quality of the cloth.

    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin prōportiō, meaning a comparative relation or symmetry, made from pro ('for, before') plus portio ('share, part'). It reached English through Old French.