per capita

[ per kap-i-tuh ]

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. Compare per stirpes.

per capita

/ pə ˈkæpɪtə /

adjective

1. of or for each person

per capita

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of per capita¹

1675–85; < Latin: literally, by heads

Word History and Origins

Origin of per capita¹

Latin, literally: according to heads

Example Sentences

Approximately 3.3  billion people rely on aquatic foods for nutrition, which accounts for almost 20% of the average per capita consumption of animal protein.

From Salon

In fact, America’s rich are responsible for an enormous proportion of the global emissions causing climate change, even as per capita emissions are rising in many other countries.

From Salon

But beyond the EU, Montenegro has let in in more than 200,000 Ukrainians, making it the highest per capita Ukrainian refugee population in the world.

From BBC

For years, it has sat in the top 10 countries with the highest per capita road fatalities.

From BBC

Officially, at least, only a handful of people were being murdered per capita, fewer than in Los Angeles or Washington, on a daily basis.

From Los Angeles Times