forty
FAW-tee
Forty (num) means the number after thirty-nine and before forty-one; 40. Example: “There are forty chairs in the hall, but only thirty people came.”
num
1
The number after thirty-nine and before forty-one; 40.
"There are forty chairs in the hall, but only thirty people came."
"The bus takes about forty minutes to reach the airport."
"She turned forty last week."
noun
1
A large bottle of beer holding forty fluid ounces.
"In the film, the friends shared a forty on the porch."
"He grabbed a cold forty and sat down to watch the game."
"He picked up a forty from the corner store."
How to use forty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe number 40 — or, in slang, a large 40-ounce bottle of beer.
Common pairings
forty years
turn forty
forty winks
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like forty.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- forties
- Comparative
- more forty
- Superlative
- most forty
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
There are _____ chairs in the hall, but only thirty people came.
Etymology
From Old English feowertig, from Proto-Germanic roots meaning "four tens" — the same pattern as "fifty" and "sixty."
Synonyms
View more →
40
XL
Rhymes for forty
See all rhymes for forty →Frequently asked questions
What does “forty” mean?
The word “forty” means the number after thirty-nine and before forty-one; 40. In plain terms, the number 40 — or, in slang, a large 40-ounce bottle of beer.
How do you pronounce “forty”?
“Forty” is pronounced FAW-tee (/ˈfɔɹti/ in IPA).
How do you use “forty” in a sentence?
Here is “forty” used in a sentence: “She turned forty last week.”
What part of speech is “forty”?
Depending on how it is used, “forty” can be a num and a noun.
Where does the word “forty” come from?
The word “forty” comes from Old English. From Old English feowertig, from Proto-Germanic roots meaning "four tens" — the same pattern as "fifty" and "sixty.".
Is “forty” a common word?
“Forty” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “forty” have?
“Forty” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the number after thirty-nine and before forty-one; 40.
How do you spell forty — is it "forty" or "fourty"?
The correct spelling is "forty," with no "u," even though the number "four" contains one. "Fourty" is a common misspelling and is not accepted in standard English.
What is the difference between "forty" and "fortieth"?
"Forty" is the cardinal number 40, used for counting, as in forty people. "Fortieth" is the ordinal form, used to show position or order in a sequence, as in her fortieth birthday.
When should you write "forty" as a word rather than "40" as a figure?
In formal prose, numbers are often spelled out, so "forty" is common in narrative writing. Figures like 40 are preferred in technical, statistical, or informal contexts, and consistency within a single document matters most.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include forty:
