forty

UK: ˈfɔːti | US: ˈfɔːrti

Definition

  1. n. the number equivalent to four times ten; 40.

Structure
fort <four>y <noun suffix>
Etymology

forty = fort<four> + y<noun suffix>

  • fort derives from Old English fēower (four), influenced by the Proto-Germanic fedwōr. The "u" in "four" was dropped in Middle English due to phonetic simplification.
  • -y is a common suffix used to form cardinal numbers (e.g., twenty, thirty).

Etymology Origin:
The word "forty" evolved from Old English fēowertig, a combination of fēower (four) and -tig (a group of ten). Over time, pronunciation shifts streamlined it to "forty." Unlike "four," which retained its "u," "forty" lost the "u" to align with other decade numbers (e.g., fifty, sixty). This change reflects English's tendency to simplify spelling for numerical consistency.

Examples

  1. She celebrated her fortieth birthday last week.

  2. The recipe requires forty grams of sugar.

  3. The temperature dropped to forty degrees overnight.

  4. He scored forty points in the basketball game.

  5. The ancient manuscript dates back forty centuries.