adj
Common
sixth
sihksth
Sixth (adj) means coming after the fifth in a sequence; 6th. Example: “This is her sixth attempt at passing the driving test.”
adj
1
Coming after the fifth in a sequence; 6th.
"This is her sixth attempt at passing the driving test."
"Our flat is on the sixth floor, so we usually take the lift."
"The sixth person in the queue was holding a bunch of flowers."
noun
1
One of six equal parts of something.
"He ate a sixth of the cake."
"Each of the six friends paid a sixth of the restaurant bill."
"Only a sixth of the garden gets sun in the morning."
2
In music, the interval spanning five steps up the scale from a given note.
"The melody opens with a leap of a major sixth."
"From C up to A is a sixth, and the choir sang it beautifully."
"The song's chorus rises by a sixth, which gives it a hopeful sound."
How to use sixth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOrdinal form of six (6th); also a musical interval or a fraction (1/6).
Common pairings
sixth sense
sixth form
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Word forms
- Plural
- sixths
- Third person singular
- sixths
- Past tense
- sixthed
Fill the gap
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This is her _____ attempt at passing the driving test.
Etymology
From Old English siexta, related to "six."
Synonyms
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one-sixth
Frequently asked questions
What does “sixth” mean?
The word “sixth” means coming after the fifth in a sequence; 6th. In plain terms, ordinal form of six (6th); also a musical interval or a fraction (1/6).
How do you pronounce “sixth”?
“Sixth” is pronounced sihksth (/sɪksθ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sixth” in a sentence?
Here is “sixth” used in a sentence: “This is her sixth attempt at passing the driving test.”
What part of speech is “sixth”?
Depending on how it is used, “sixth” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “sixth” come from?
The word “sixth” comes from Old English. From Old English siexta, related to "six.".
Is “sixth” a common word?
“Sixth” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “sixth” have?
“Sixth” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: coming after the fifth in a sequence; 6th.
How do you spell sixth correctly?
The correct spelling is sixth: the word six plus the ordinal ending -th. Common misspellings include "sixt" and "sixht," usually because the final consonant cluster is awkward to say. If you can spell six, just add -th.
What is the difference between six and sixth?
Six is a cardinal number used for counting, as in "six chairs." Sixth is the ordinal form, used for position in a sequence, as in "the sixth chapter" or "June is the sixth month." Sixth is also a noun meaning one of six equal parts of something.
How do you write one sixth as a fraction, and is it hyphenated?
One sixth means one of six equal parts, written numerically as 1/6. Many style guides hyphenate fractions when they act as modifiers, as in "a one-sixth share," while leaving them open as nouns, as in "one sixth of the budget." Both hyphenated and open forms are widely accepted for the noun use, so consistency matters most.
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