birthrate

American  

[burth-rayt] / ˈbɜrθˌreɪt /

noun

• birthrates
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• birthrates
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of birthrate

First recorded in 1855–60; birth + rate ¹

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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

See Examples For:

birthrate birthrates

By upgrading marriage registries with chandeliers, flower arches and poetry, local Chinese officials are glamorizing city hall weddings in hopes of encouraging young couples to marry and boost the nation’s declining birthrate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up 14.3 percent of Israel's population, according to the Israel Democracy Institute think tank, but have a much higher birthrate than secular Israelis.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

Nationwide, the birthrate is falling even more dramatically for Hispanic women, who make up a sizable share of the population in some cities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

This intergenerational compact is now reversing because of an aging population and declining birthrate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Historical records show that frontier populations can increase at astonishing rates; in the early nineteenth century, the annual U.S. birthrate climbed as high as 5 percent.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

But as birthrates climb for women over 40, some providers are seeing their patients turn to peptides as a tool for fertility.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Plus, AI and college grads, falling birthrates, and a historical lesson for the Chinese yuan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

After years of growth, the pipeline of 18-year-olds is dwindling—a result of lower birthrates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

An analysis by O’Brien found that birthrates in large urban counties fell 18% between 2010 and 2024, the biggest drop of any county type.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Take a look at the following chart, which shows the birthrates in the United States from 1910 to 1950.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

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