English Reference
Noun

quotient

n.
C1 Advanced US /ˈkwoʊʃənt/ UK /kwˈəʊʃənt/ quo·tient UK spelling quotients Mathematics

n.the result you get when you divide one number by another. It is the answer to a division problem.

n.the result of a division of one number or expression by another. In modern usage, it often refers to the integer part of the result, while the remainder is the fractional part.


SIMPLE

The quotient of twelve divided by three is four.

CONTEXTUAL

When you divide the total profit by the number of shareholders, you get the quotient that determines each person's share.

COMPLEX

The algorithm calculates the quotient by performing a series of subtractions and shifts, effectively breaking down the division into smaller, more manageable operations.

In my new listener mode, IQ stands for “irritation quotient”, and it’s largely to do with the way the presenters communicate.

The Guardian· 11 Jul 2026

From Latin quotiēns, from quotiēs.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin quotiēns
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated