sixteen
SIHKS-teen
Sixteen (num) means the number after fifteen and before seventeen; 16. Example: “There are sixteen chairs around the long table in the meeting room.”
num
1
The number after fifteen and before seventeen; 16.
"There are sixteen chairs around the long table in the meeting room."
"My cousin passed her driving theory test when she was sixteen."
"Venters began to count them—one—two—three—four—on up to sixteen."
— Zane Grey (1912)
"They'd spent one evening together sixteen months ago, and Falk was acutely aware that he'd probably airbrushed and edited at least some of it without meaning to."
— Jane Harper, Exiles (2022)
"She turns sixteen next month."
How to use sixteen
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe number 16.
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Etymology
From Old English sixtiene, from "six" plus the suffix "-teen."
Rhymes for sixteen
See all rhymes for sixteen →Frequently asked questions
What does “sixteen” mean?
The word “sixteen” means the number after fifteen and before seventeen; 16. In plain terms, the number 16.
How do you pronounce “sixteen”?
“Sixteen” is pronounced SIHKS-teen (/ˈsɪks.tiːn/ in IPA).
How do you use “sixteen” in a sentence?
Here is “sixteen” used in a sentence: “She turns sixteen next month.”
What part of speech is “sixteen”?
“Sixteen” is a num.
Where does the word “sixteen” come from?
The word “sixteen” comes from Old English. From Old English sixtiene, from "six" plus the suffix "-teen.".
Is “sixteen” a common word?
“Sixteen” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between "sixteen" and "sixteenth"?
"Sixteen" is a cardinal number showing quantity, as in 16 items, while "sixteenth" is the ordinal form showing position or order in a sequence, as in the 16th item. You have sixteen pages but turn to the sixteenth page.
How do you tell "sixteen" and "sixty" apart?
"Sixteen" means 16 and ends in the "-teen" suffix, while "sixty" means 60 and ends in "-ty." In speech, "sixteen" is usually stressed on the second syllable and "sixty" on the first; the "-teen" ending marks the numbers 13 through 19.
Should "sixteen" be written as a word or as the numeral 16?
Style guides generally recommend spelling out "sixteen" in words when it begins a sentence or appears in formal prose, and using the numeral 16 in technical, statistical, or measurement contexts. Being consistent within a single document matters more than the specific choice.
Is "sixteen" ever hyphenated?
On its own, "sixteen" is written as one word with no hyphen. A hyphen is used only when it forms part of a compound modifier, such as "sixteen-year-old" or "sixteen-page report."
