birthrate

American  

[burth-reyt] / ˈbɜrθˌreɪt /

noun

1. the proportion of births to the total population in a place in a given time, usually expressed as a quantity per 1000 of population.

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Etymology

Origin of birthrate

First recorded in 1855–60; birth + rate ¹

Explanation

A birthrate is the number of babies born during a specific time period within a certain population. When experts calculate how much a country or region's population is growing or shrinking, they compare the birthrate with rates of deaths and migration. This usually means determining the number of live births for every population of 1,000. Birthrate is figured using census data and a worldwide registration system that records new births. From the 1950s to the 2020s, the average global birthrate has significantly and consistently declined, though the global population has greatly increased.

Example Sentences

Beyond IVF, Adamson points to two underused medical levers to increase the birthrate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

Meanwhile, one of the reasons Social Security is in financial trouble is because the birthrate has collapsed.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

France has built an expensive system of assistance to families with young children, but its birthrate is no higher than ours.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

The birthrate is 1.0 in China and 1.3 in Japan.

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

That higher birthrate of food producers, together with their ability to feed more people per acre, lets them achieve much higher population densities than hunter-gatherers.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond