rating

¹ American  

[rey-ting] / ˈreɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. classification according to grade or rank.

2. assigned position in a particular class or grade, or relative standing, as of a ship or a member of the armed forces.

3. the credit standing of a person or firm.

4. Radio, Television. a percentage indicating the number of listeners to or viewers of a specific program.

5. a designated operating limit for a machine, apparatus, etc., as of voltage, load, or frequency, based on specified conditions.

6. an amount fixed as a rate.

7. British. apportioning of a tax.

8. Chiefly British. one of the enlisted personnel in the British navy.

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rating ² American  

[rey-ting] / ˈreɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. an angry reprimand or rebuke; scolding.

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rating ¹ British  

/ ˈreɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. a classification according to order or grade; ranking

2. (in certain navies) a sailor who holds neither commissioned nor warrant rank; an ordinary seaman

3. sailing a handicap assigned to a racing boat based on its dimensions, sail area, weight, draught, etc

4. the estimated financial or credit standing of a business enterprise or individual

5. radio television a figure based on statistical sampling indicating what proportion of the total listening and viewing audience tune in to a specific programme or network

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rating ² British  

/ ˈreɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. a sharp scolding or rebuke

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Etymology

Origin of rating¹

First recorded in 1525–35; rat(e) ¹ + -ing ¹

Origin of rating²

First recorded in 1570–80; rat(e) ² + -ing ¹

Explanation

A rating is a valuation or rank on a scale. Hotels are often ranked from zero to five stars, so a fancy hotel with loads of amenities (like a pool and plush bathrobes) will usually have a five-star rating. A movie gets a rating based on which audience it’s appropriate for – as in, rated G for kids or rated R for adults. When a TV show gets good ratings, then a lot of people watch it. Before you buy an expensive item, like a bike or an appliance, you can read its ratings online, and once you've tried it out, you can provide your own rating.

Example Sentences

Maybank Securities maintains a buy rating and S$0.34 target price.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

The analysts maintain a Buy rating on the stock, with a price target of $30.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

The added GPU capacity could help fuel an OCI acceleration, he noted, while reiterating his buy rating and raising his price target to $300 from $250.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

UBS analysts keep a buy rating on the stock but warn clients in a note that the consensus forecast of a 90-basis-point margin expansion at CSL’s plasma-product business is too high.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Upon their return from Las Vegas, they set out to pester the rating agencies, and the Wall Street people who gamed their models, for more information.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• appraisal
• assessment
• category
• valuation