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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

per capita

India's per capita income is also far lower and the high price-points of the British schools - which can charge up to £15,000 or more for full boarding - can limit growth.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

The country's per capita GDP - around $667 in 2024, according to the UN - is a small fraction of South Korea's $36,227.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

In comparison Rwanda, despite its economic boom, remains a low-income country with a GDP per capita barely exceeding $1,100.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

That’s China’s 2025 gross national income per capita, just below the high-income threshold of $14,375.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

Offered in a year in which the average per capita income in the United States was $432, Strub’s purse caused a national sensation.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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