thirty
THUR-tee
Thirty (num) means the number after twenty-nine and before thirty-one; 30. Example: “He turned thirty last week.”
num
1
The number after twenty-nine and before thirty-one; 30.
"To conclude, here in tabular form is a summary of our ratings of espressos produced from thirty pod, capsule and disc blends."
— Kenneth Davids, Convenience First: Espresso Pods and Capsules (2009)
"He turned thirty last week."
"There are thirty students in my class this term."
"I counted thirty steps from the front door to the gate."
How to use thirty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe number 30.
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Word forms
- Plural
- thirties
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He turned _____ last week.
Etymology
From Old English þrītiġ, literally "three tens".
Rhymes for thirty
See all rhymes for thirty →Frequently asked questions
What does “thirty” mean?
The word “thirty” means the number after twenty-nine and before thirty-one; 30. In plain terms, the number 30.
How do you pronounce “thirty”?
“Thirty” is pronounced THUR-tee (/ˈθɝti/ in IPA).
How do you use “thirty” in a sentence?
Here is “thirty” used in a sentence: “He turned thirty last week.”
What part of speech is “thirty”?
“Thirty” is a num.
Where does the word “thirty” come from?
The word “thirty” comes from Old English. From Old English þrītiġ, literally "three tens".
Is “thirty” a common word?
“Thirty” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How do you spell thirty correctly?
The correct spelling is thirty, with i-r before the t. Common misspellings include "thirthy" and "thrity." Note the vowel change from three: the tens form is thirty, just as three gives thirteen.
Are numbers like thirty one hyphenated?
Yes. Compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine are hyphenated when written out, so the forms are thirty-one, thirty-two, and so on up to thirty-nine. Thirty itself, as a round number, takes no hyphen.
What is the difference between thirty and thirtieth?
Thirty is the cardinal number 30, used for counting: "thirty days." Thirtieth is the ordinal form, used for position in a sequence or for dates: "her thirtieth birthday," "the thirtieth of June." Note the spelling change: the final y of thirty becomes ie before -th.
Should you write thirty or 30 in formal writing?
It depends on the style guide. Some guides spell out numbers up to ninety-nine, so thirty would be written as a word, while others use figures for anything above nine, giving 30. Whichever convention you follow, apply it consistently, and always spell out a number that begins a sentence.
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