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ratio

the relation between two amounts

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Where does the word "ratio" come from? It comes from Latin ratio, and was adopted directly into English (1630s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "ratio" come from? It comes from Latin ratio, and was adopted directly into English (1630s).

Ratio’s story begins in Latin: ratio meant “reckoning, reason.” From 'reri', to reckon; the same root as 'reason' and 'ration'. It reached English by 1630s as ratio. Introduced by mathematicians for proportion. Today, ratio means the relation between two amounts.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient ratio "reckoning, reason", from 'reri', to reckon; the same root as 'reason' and 'ration'.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1630s ratio "quantitative relation", introduced by mathematicians for proportion.

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