per capita

American  

[per kap-i-tuh] / pər ˈkæp ɪ tə /

adjective

1. by or for each individual person.

   income per capita.

2. Law. noting or pertaining to a method of dividing an estate by which all those equally related to the decedent take equal shares individually without regard to the number of lines of descent.

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per capita British  

/ pə ˈkæpɪtə /

adjective

1. of or for each person

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per capita Cultural  

1. A Latin phrase literally meaning “by heads,” and translated as “for each person.” It is a common unit for expressing data in statistics. A country's per capita personal income, for example, is the average personal income per person.

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Etymology

Origin of per capita

1675–85; < Latin: literally, by heads

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

per capita

Banner-University Medical Center anchors an excellent healthcare system that features a high ratio of primary-care doctors per capita.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

"Despite Australia being one of the wealthiest countries per capita in the world and having more than its fair share of world-leading scientists… we have a truly awful record of conserving species," Ritchie says.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Estonia, with a population of 1.3 million, now has 10 active unicorns -- the most per capita in Europe.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

Several studies suggest that GDP per capita has declined by at least 6%, a serious recession in a period when most other major nations have seen modest economic growth.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

On a per capita basis, Switzerland has more firearms than just about any other country, and yet it is one of the safest places in the world.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt