Definition of "per" in English

preposition

1. For each.

   • Admission is £10 per person.
   • miles per gallon
   • beats per minute
   • $2.50 per dozen

2. To each, in each (used in expressing ratios of units).

   • 12 inches per foot
   • 100 centimeters per meter

3. (medicine) By the, by means of the, via the, through the.

   • Introduce the endoscope per nasum.
   • The medication is to be administered per os.

4. In accordance with, as per

   • I parked my car at the curb per your request.
   • Implement a program that computes the approximate grade level needed to comprehend some text, per the below.
   • Note that while the walkthrough illustrates that words may be separated by more than one space, you may assume, per the specifications above, that no sentences will contain more than one space in a row.

5. According to

   • Bucks trading for Patrick Beverley, per sources
   • The Heat were too close to the luxury tax line -- $1.6 million over before this trade, per ESPN's Bobby Marks

pronoun

1. (rare, nonstandard) They (singular). Gender-neutral neologistic third-person singular subject pronoun, coordinate with gendered pronouns he and she.

2. (rare, nonstandard) Them (singular) Neologistic gender-neutral third-person singular object pronoun, suggested for use in place of him and her.

adjective

1. (rare, nonstandard) Belonging to per, their (singular). Gender-neutral third-person singular possessive adjective, coordinate with gendered his and her.