Per cent
Noun
UK
/pə ˈsent/
US
/pɚ ˈsent/
Definition
A part out of one hundred.
Example
"She scored eighty per cent on the test."
"The shop is offering a twenty per cent discount this week."
"Only a small per cent of people disagreed with the new rule."
Explanation
Per cent means “out of one hundred” and is usually written as the symbol %. It is used to show a part of a whole in numbers. When we say 50 per cent (50%), we mean 50 out of 100. This word is often used to talk about scores, discounts, growth, or changes. It helps people easily understand how big or small something is compared to the total amount.
👉 “Per cent” is the UK spelling (two words), and “Percent” is the US spelling (one word).