fourth

noun

ˈfȯrth 

plural fourths ˈfȯr(th)s 

1

: one that is number four in a series

I was the fourth to arrive.

They arrive on the fourth. [=the fourth day of the month]

see Table of Numbers

2

: one of four equal parts of something : quarter entry 1

Cut the cake into fourths.

a fourth of the population

3

a

: a musical interval (see interval sense 2) embracing four tones of the diatonic scale

b

: a tone at this interval

specifically : subdominant sense 1

c

: the harmonic combination of two tones a fourth apart

4

: the fourth forward gear or speed of a motor vehicle

shifted into fourth

5

the Fourth : July 4 observed as a legal holiday in the U.S. in commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 : Fourth of July

watched fireworks on the Fourth

called also Independence Day

fourth adjective or adverb

the fourth edition of a book

the fourth tallest mountain

fourthly adverb

Fourthly, don't sing a whole opera through …

—Mark Twain

Examples of fourth in a Sentence

cut the cake into fourths

She drank a fourth of the bottle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Maryland then closed out the game by outscoring the Orange, 3-1, in the fourth. —Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2025

Jacob McCombs had an RBI double in the first inning, then the Anteaters erupted with a pair of two-out, two-run singles from Will Bermudez and Chase Call in the fourth to open a 6-0 lead. —Staff and News Service Reports, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2025

The Kings went up by 11 late in the third quarter and carried a 92-86 advantage into the fourth. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 13 Feb. 2025

Sundell’s outburst helped K-State outscore TCU 24-11 in the third as the Wildcats held a 43-36 lead headed into the fourth. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see four

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing fourth

• a poor second/third/fourth
• fourth dimension
• fourth estate
• fourth trimester
• fourth wall
• fourth world
• sixty-fourth note
• sixty-fourth rest

Kids Definition

fourth

noun

ˈfō(ə)rth 

ˈfȯ(ə)rth

1

: one that is number four in a series see number

2

: the difference in pitch between the first tone and the fourth tone of a scale

fourth adjective or adverb

fourthly adverb