five

noun

ˈfīv 

plural fives

1

: a number that is one more than four see Table of Numbers

2

fives plural : a British handball game

3

: the fifth in a set or series

the five of clubs

4

: something having five units or members

especially : a basketball team

5

: a 5-dollar bill

6

: fifteen sense 2

7

: a gesture in which two people slap each other's extended hands (as in greeting or celebration)

—usually used in phrases with give or slap

So I slapped him five and hugged him.

—J. R. Burke

five adjective

five pronoun, plural in construction

see also high five, take five

Examples of five in a Sentence

I get off work at five.

The store is open until five.

Recent Examples on the Web

Disturbed’s Trio of Top Five Smashes The group even manages a trio of top fives on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, a tally which Disturbed has not only come to know well throughout the years, but dominates with some frequency. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025

The intrigue: Both Raleigh and Durham had similar listening habits, with nearly identical top fives — though Durham left a spot for Ye, the controversial rapper and producer formerly known as Kanye West, and Raleigh preferred Morgan Wallen. —Zachery Eanes, Axios, 5 Dec. 2024

This chart week is just beginning, so Carpenter will claim her three top fives for the next few days. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024

The first attempts at Squads used military terms for the different roles — with majors looking over captains — and the students were grouped into twos and fives before Dent and his entourage finally settled on groups of three. —Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 13 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from five, adjective, from Old English fīf; akin to Old High German finf five, Latin quinque, Greek pente

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing five

• best (out) of three/five/seven
• five-and-dime
• five-and-ten
• five-card stud
• five-finger
• five-hole
• five-o'clock shadow
• five of a kind
• five-spice powder
• five-star
• forty-five
• high five
• hit the big five-oh
• nine-to-five job
• take five

Rhymes for five

• dive
• drive
• hive
• jive
• live
• strive
• thrive
• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive
• connive

Kids Definition

five

noun

ˈfīv 

1

: a number that is one more than four see number

2

: the fifth in a set or series

3

: something having five units or members

especially : a basketball team

4

: a 5-dollar bill

5

: a slapping of extended hands by two people (as in greeting or celebration)

I slapped him five after he scored

five adjective or pronoun