adjective
Common
tenth
tehnth
Tenth (adjective) means coming after the ninth in a sequence; the ordinal form of ten. Example: “Our team finished tenth in the school quiz this year.”
adjective
1
Coming after the ninth in a sequence; the ordinal form of ten.
"Our team finished tenth in the school quiz this year."
"She lives on the tenth floor, so the lift is essential."
"A hunger strike at a South Florida immigration detention center state officials have named “Alligator Alcatraz” has entered its tenth day, as detainees protest what they call inhumane and dangerous living conditions."
— Jamie Guirola, 'Alligator Alcatraz' detainees on hunger strike for 10th day, protesting conditions (2025)
"This is the tenth time she's asked me the same question."
noun
1
One of ten equal parts of a whole.
"Only a tenth of the class had finished the homework by Monday."
"Cut the cake so that each guest gets a tenth."
"He only ate a tenth of the pizza before giving up."
How to use tenth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "number ten in order" or "one part out of ten."
Common pairings
a tenth of
the tenth anniversary
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Word forms
- Plural
- tenths
- Third person singular
- tenths
- Past tense
- tenthed
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Our team finished _____ in the school quiz this year.
Etymology
From Old English teoða, later reshaped in Middle English to match the cardinal number "ten" more closely.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for tenth
See all rhymes for tenth →Frequently asked questions
What does “tenth” mean?
The word “tenth” means coming after the ninth in a sequence; the ordinal form of ten. In plain terms, either "number ten in order" or "one part out of ten.".
How do you pronounce “tenth”?
“Tenth” is pronounced tehnth (/tɛnθ/ in IPA).
How do you use “tenth” in a sentence?
Here is “tenth” used in a sentence: “This is the tenth time she's asked me the same question.”
What is another word for “tenth”?
Words with a similar meaning to “tenth” include 10th, Xth and tithe.
What part of speech is “tenth”?
Depending on how it is used, “tenth” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “tenth” come from?
The word “tenth” comes from Old English. From Old English teoða, later reshaped in Middle English to match the cardinal number "ten" more closely.
Is “tenth” a common word?
“Tenth” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “tenth” have?
“Tenth” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: coming after the ninth in a sequence; the ordinal form of ten.
What is the difference between a tenth and a tithe?
A tenth is one of ten equal parts of a whole. A tithe is specifically a tenth of one's income or produce, traditionally given to a church or charity — so every tithe is a tenth, but 'tenth' is the more general term.
How do you write tenth as a number?
As an ordinal, 'tenth' is written 10th in figures. As a fraction, one tenth is written 1/10, which equals 0.1 as a decimal.
Is it 'tenth' or 'tenths'?
'Tenth' is singular — the ordinal after ninth, or one of ten equal parts. 'Tenths' is the plural, used when counting more than one part, as in 'three tenths' (3/10).
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