%

Etymology

From ^o/c, from N^o/c, an abbreviation of Italian numero per cento (“number per hundred”).

Symbol

%

1. The percent; portion of a total of 100.
   • 1992, Rudolf M. Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, page x

     For more than 90% of the figures (mostly drawn during 1976-1990), either a scale, or the given magnification, will allow the user to derive accurate measurements, even when these are lacking in the diagnosis.

   • Aldrichimica Acta Volume 30 No 4 (pdf) from Sigma-Aldrich

     Decomposition of 4 in the presence of cis-piperylene at room temperature results in the stereocontrolled formation of trans-cycloheptadiene 27 in 90% ee (96% ee at -78 °C).

2. (computing) Used as a wildcard, to stand for zero or more characters.
3. (computing, programming) Used as the symbol for the modulus, placed between two numbers, to get the remainder of the division of those numbers.

Pronunciation

Symbol

%

1. (Taiwan) percent