adj
Very common
fourth
fawth
Fourth (adj) means coming after the third in a sequence; the ordinal form of four. Example: “This is the fourth time I have called the shop this week.”
adj
1
Coming after the third in a sequence; the ordinal form of four.
"This is the fourth time I have called the shop this week."
"He lives on the fourth floor, so we take the lift."
"She finished fourth in the race."
noun
1
One of four equal parts of a whole; a quarter.
"Cut the cake and give each of the four guests a fourth."
"Only one fourth of the class had handed in their homework by Friday."
"He ate a fourth of the pie."
2
In music, an interval spanning four notes of the scale, such as C to F.
"The two singers harmonised a fourth apart, which gave the song an open sound."
"From C up to F is a fourth, so that is what you play."
"The opening notes form a perfect fourth."
How to use fourth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe thing in position four, or one quarter of something, or (in music) a specific interval.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
fourth gear
the Fourth of July
finish fourth
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Word forms
- Plural
- fourths
- Third person singular
- fourths
- Past tense
- fourthed
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Etymology
From Old English feowerþa, formed from four plus the ordinal suffix -th.
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “fourth” mean?
The word “fourth” means coming after the third in a sequence; the ordinal form of four. In plain terms, the thing in position four, or one quarter of something, or (in music) a specific interval.
How do you pronounce “fourth”?
“Fourth” is pronounced fawth (/fɔɹθ/ in IPA).
How do you use “fourth” in a sentence?
Here is “fourth” used in a sentence: “She finished fourth in the race.”
What part of speech is “fourth”?
Depending on how it is used, “fourth” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “fourth” come from?
The word “fourth” comes from Old English. From Old English feowerþa, formed from four plus the ordinal suffix -th.
Is “fourth” a common word?
“Fourth” is a very common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “fourth” have?
“Fourth” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: coming after the third in a sequence; the ordinal form of four.
What is the difference between fourth and forth?
They sound alike but differ in meaning. Fourth is the ordinal number after third, as in 'the fourth day' or 'fourth place.' Forth is an adverb meaning forward or onward, as in 'go forth' or 'back and forth.' If you are counting positions, the word you want is fourth.
Is a fourth the same as a quarter?
As a fraction, yes. One fourth and one quarter both mean one of four equal parts, written 1/4. 'A fourth' is more common in American English, while 'a quarter' is used everywhere. As an ordinal describing position in a sequence, though, fourth simply means the one after third.
What is an example of fourth in a sentence?
You might say, 'She finished fourth in the race,' meaning three people came before her. Other examples include 'July is the fourth month after March' or 'this is my fourth attempt.' In each case, fourth marks a position that follows the third in an ordered sequence.
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