From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English5 percent (5%)/10 percent (10%) etc5 percent (5%)/10 percent (10%) etcHMequal to five, ten etc parts out of a total of 100 parts a 10% increase in house prices a company with a 40 percent stake in the project → percent5 percent (5%)/10 percent (10%) etc5 percent (5%)/10 percent (10%) etcHMan amount equal to five, ten etc parts out of a total of 100 parts The bank charges interest at 14%.5 percent (5%)/10 percent (10%) etc of Eighty percent of the population voted. ► Percent is only used after a number. If you are referring more generally to part of an amount, use percentage: A high percentage (NOT percent) of the population was illiterate. → percent
