eighty

noun

ˈā-tē 

plural eighties

1

: a number that is equal to eight times 10 see Table of Numbers

2

eighties plural : the numbers 80 to 89

specifically : the years 80 to 89 in a lifetime or century

eightieth

ˈā-tē-əth 

adjective or noun

eighty adjective

eighty pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of eighty in a Sentence

The temperature rose to the high eighties.

She is in her mid-eighties.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ever interested in finding the truth and helping Hawkins, his father reached out to his sisters and convinced one of Hawkins’ aunts, then in her eighties, to do an interview with me. —Marybeth Gasman, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025

In the conformist eighties, Michaels largely abandoned the Andy Kaufman strain of his formula. —Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025

Our meeting spot turned out to be Cheers in Boston — a place dripping with nostalgia for one of my favorite eighties TV shows. —Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025

When concerns about energy independence faded during the late eighties, gas mileage began a slow descent, dropping steadily to a low of 19.3 MPG in 2004. —Peter Douglas, The Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English eighty, adjective, from Old English eahtatig, short for hundeahtatig, noun, group of eighty, from hund-, literally, hundred + eahta eight + -tig group of ten; akin to Old English tīen ten

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing eighty

• eighty-six
• ten-eighty

Kids Definition

eighty

noun

ˈāt-ē 

plural eighties

: a number that is equal to eight times 10 see number

eightieth

-ē-əth 

adjective or noun

eighty adjective or pronoun