PROPORTIONAL

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does proportional mean? 

• PROPORTIONAL (noun)
  The noun PROPORTIONAL has 1 sense:

1. one of the quantities in a mathematical proportion

  Familiarity information: PROPORTIONAL used as a noun is very rare.

• PROPORTIONAL (adjective)
  The adjective PROPORTIONAL has 2 senses:

1. properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by 'to'

2. having a constant ratio

  Familiarity information: PROPORTIONAL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROPORTIONAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

One of the quantities in a mathematical proportion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("proportional" is a kind of...):

quantity (the concept that something has a magnitude and can be represented in mathematical expressions by a constant or a variable)

Holonyms ("proportional" is a part of...):

proportion (the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole)

• PROPORTIONAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by 'to'

Synonyms:

proportional; relative

Context example:

earnings relative to production

Similar:

proportionate (being in due proportion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having a constant ratio

Similar:

proportionate (being in due proportion)

Derivation:

proportionality (a ratio of two quantities that is constant)

 Context examples 

Biosensors are able to measure biological or chemical reactions and generate a signal proportional to the concentration of a particular substance.

(Brazilian researchers eye biosensors to monitor diabetes, SciDev.Net)

The level of these fragments is directly proportional to the amount of active thrombin in a blood sample.

(F1.2, NCI Thesaurus)

A quantity used in tracer studies of receptor density in certain biological processes where this binding potential is proportional to the receptor density.

(Binding Potential, NCI Thesaurus)

The onset of symptoms may be rapid with severity proportional to length and amount of nicotine use.

(Nicotine Withdrawal, NCI Thesaurus)

Specific volume is inversely proportional to density.

(Cubic Meter per Kilogram, NCI Thesaurus)

Surprisingly, using the same approach to remove ROS in normal heart cells led to mitochondria that were four times as large as normal, suggesting that ROS levels are inversely proportional to mitochondria size.

(Excess Fat Disrupts Heart Cell's Energy System, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The degree of opacity produced by ioxaglate sodium is directly proportional to the total amount of the iodinated contrast agent in the path of the x-rays.

(Ioxaglate Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)

The degree of opacity produced by ioxaglate meglumine is directly proportional to the total amount of the iodinated contrast agent in the path of the x-rays.

(Ioxaglate Meglumine, NCI Thesaurus)

The degree of opacity produced by iopamidol is directly proportional to the total amount of the iodinated contrast agent in the path of the x-rays.

(Iopamidol, NCI Thesaurus)

The degree of opacity produced by iothalamate sodium is directly proportional to the total amount of the iodinated contrast agent in the path of the x-rays.

(Iothalamate Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)