ratio

[ rey-shoh, -shee-oh ]

noun

, plural ra·tios.

1. the relation between two similar magnitudes with respect to the number of times the first contains the second:

   the ratio of 5 to 2, written 5:2 or 5/2.

2. proportional relation; rate:

   the ratio between acceptances and rejections.

3. Finance. the relative value of gold and silver in a bimetallic currency system.
4. Sometimes the ratio. (on Twitter) the proportion of replies to a tweet compared to the combined number of retweets and likes, where a high ratio usually indicates a barrage of negative replies: LOL, then I added the reply, “Don't mind me, I'm just here for the ratio.”

   How is the Twitter ratio any different from other kinds of outraged cybermobs?

   LOL, then I added the reply, “Don't mind me, I'm just here for the ratio.”

verb (used with object)

, ra·tioed or ra·tio'd, ra·tio·ing.

1. (on Twitter) to flood (a tweet or its author) with negative replies such that commenters as a group take control of the momentum and message away from the original poster:

   Political pundits trying to write provocative and edgy tweets are going to get ratioed sooner or later.

ratio

/ ˈreɪʃɪˌəʊ /

noun

1. a measure of the relative size of two classes expressible as a proportion

   the ratio of boys to girls is 2 to 1

2. maths a quotient of two numbers or quantities See also proportion

ratio

/ rā′shō,rā′shē-ō′ /

1. A relationship between two quantities, normally expressed as the quotient of one divided by the other. For example, if a box contains six red marbles and four blue marbles, the ratio of red marbles to blue marbles is 6 to 4, also written 6:4. A ratio can also be expressed as a decimal or percentage.

ratio

1. An expression of the relative size of two numbers by showing one divided by the other.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ratio¹

First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin ratiō “reckoning, account, calculation,” equivalent to rat-, past participle of rērī “to believe, think, imagine” + -iō, noun suffix from verb stems; -tion

Word History and Origins

Origin of ratio¹

C17: from Latin: a reckoning, from rērī to think; see reason

Example Sentences

Carlisle writes that the Air Force would want a crew ratio of 10 to one for each drone orbit during normal everyday operations.

From The Daily Beast

During an emergency that ratio could be allowed to drop to 8.5 people per orbit.

From The Daily Beast

However, the Air Force is so strapped for people that the ratio has dropped below even that reduced level.

From The Daily Beast

The Italian navy tweeted regular updates of the saved-to-stranded passenger ratio.

From The Daily Beast

From that, they extracted the ratio of the number of deuterium atoms to the number of hydrogen atoms.

From The Daily Beast

The fervor of an Englishman's loyalty is usually in a direct ratio with the extent of his material possessions.

From Project Gutenberg

This ratio constitutes one of the most important points in diagnosis, since it is practically unknown in other diseases.

From Project Gutenberg

The service is practically the same, but the ratio of charges is from two to three times higher in the coffee room.

From Project Gutenberg

Four hundred thousand pounds probably bore as great a ratio to the wealth of Scotland then as forty millions would bear now.

From Project Gutenberg

It was soon found that with plate webs the ratio of depth to span could not be economically increased beyond 1/15 to 1/12.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• proportion
• quota
• rate
• scale