fifth
UK: fɪfθ | US: fɪfθ
adj. coming after four others in a series; ordinal number for 5
n. one of five equal parts of something
The word "fifth" originates from Old English "fīfta," derived from Proto-Germanic *fimftô, which is built on the root *fimf (five) + the ordinal suffix *-tô. The spelling evolved to "fif" (reflecting the root "five") + "-th" (a common English ordinal suffix). The "v" to "f" shift in "five" to "fif" is due to phonetic simplification before the voiceless "-th" sound. This pattern is consistent with other ordinal numbers like "fourth" (four + th) and "tenth" (ten + th).
She finished in fifth place in the race.
The fifth chapter of the book is the most exciting.
Only a fifth of the students passed the difficult exam.
He celebrated his fifth birthday with a pirate-themed party.
The store is offering a fifth item for free with every purchase.