fifty

UK: ˈfɪfti | US: ˈfɪfti

Definition

  1. n. the number equivalent to five times ten; 50

  2. adj. amounting to fifty in number

Structure
fif <five>ty <group of ten>
Etymology

fifty = fif<five> + ty<group of ten>

  • fif derives from Old English fīf (five), retaining the core meaning of the numeral.
  • ty comes from Old English -tig (a suffix denoting multiples of ten), akin to German -zig (e.g., vierzig "forty").

Etymology Origin:
The word fifty traces back to Old English fīftig, a compound of fīf (five) and -tig (a decade). This structure mirrors Germanic numbering systems, where multiples of ten are formed by combining a numeral with -tig (e.g., twentig "twenty," þrītig "thirty"). Over time, fīftig evolved into fifty, preserving the logical link between "five" and "tenfold."

Examples

  1. She celebrated her fiftieth birthday with a grand party.

  2. The book contains fifty chapters, each exploring a different theme.

  3. Fifty students volunteered for the community project.

  4. The temperature dropped to fifty degrees overnight.

  5. He scored fifty points in the basketball game.