proportion

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A part of a whole, especially when compared to the rest.

   A large proportion of the students walk to school.

2. 2
   noun

   The relationship in size, amount, or degree between two or more things.

   The amount of sugar should be in proportion to the amount of flour.

3. 3
   noun

   The way the parts of something relate to each other in size, creating a pleasing balance.

   The new chair has beautiful proportions.

4. 4
   noun

   The size or extent of something, especially when large.

   The fire spread until it reached enormous proportions.

5. 5
   verb

   To adjust something so its parts are in correct relation to each other.

   The architect carefully proportioned the windows to the height of the walls.

From Middle English proporcion, from Old French proportion, from Latin prōportiō (“comparative relation, proportion, symmetry, analogy”), from pro (“for, before”) + portio (“share, part”); see portion.

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