decile

[ des-il, -ahyl ]

noun

, Statistics.

1. one of the values of a variable that divides the distribution of the variable into ten groups having equal frequencies.

decile

/ -aɪl; ˈdɛsɪl /

noun

1. statistics
   1. one of nine actual or notional values of a variable dividing its distribution into ten groups with equal frequencies: the ninth decile is the value below which 90% of the population lie See also percentile
   2. a tenth part of a distribution

Word History and Origins

Origin of decile¹

First recorded in 1880–85; dec- + -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of decile¹

C17: from deca- + -ile

Example Sentences

If you were somewhere in the top decile, but you didn’t know where, then you might as well have been smack dab in the middle, cleverer than 95 percent of Riddler Nation.

From FiveThirtyEight

You didn’t know where in the top 10 percent you were — in fact, you realized that you were equally likely to be anywhere in the topmost decile.

From FiveThirtyEight

You don’t know where in the top 10 percent you are — in fact, you realize that you are equally likely to be anywhere in the topmost decile.

From FiveThirtyEight

Only against pick and rolls were they outside of the top decile, ranking 48th out of those 210 team seasons.

From FiveThirtyEight

Among boomers who will receive an inheritance, the top 10 percent will receive more than every other decile combined.

From The Daily Beast

The high school dropouts in the 9th decile make about 3.1 times as much as those in the 1st.

From The Daily Beast