fifth

noun

ˈfith  ˈfif(t)th 

ˈfift

plural fifths ˈfiths 

ˈfif(t)ths,

ˈfif(t)s

1

: one that is number five in a series

Payment is due on the fifth of the month.

see Table of Numbers

2

: one of five equal parts of something

spent a fifth of their income on rent

3

a

: the musical interval embracing five diatonic degrees

b

: a tone at this interval

specifically : dominant sense 1

c

: the harmonic combination of two tones at this interval

4

: a unit of measure for liquor equal to one fifth of a U.S. gallon (0.757 liter)

5

the Fifth : the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

also : the right accorded by the Fifth Amendment to refuse to testify against oneself see also plead the Fifth, take the Fifth

fifth adjective or adverb

the fifth annual food festival

She finished fifth in the race.

fifthly adverb

Fourthly, it takes a lot of concrete to make a nuclear power plant. Fifthly, there is no place to put the waste that is safe.

—Victor Odlivak

Examples of fifth in a Sentence

The bill is due on the fifth of each month.

She donated a fifth of her income to charity.

bought a fifth of whiskey

Recent Examples on the Web

Any peace deal around Ukraine would need to involve agreement on territory, with Russia currently occupying almost a fifth of Ukraine’s land. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025

But accepting the loss of around a fifth of Ukraine's territory would be painful and politically challenging for Zelenskyy and his government, according to Tyson Barker, the U.S. State Department's former deputy special representative for Ukraine's economic recovery. —Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2025

Marte hit his fifth of the season in the second inning, but Woodruff, Megill and right-hander Abner Uribe combined to hold the Mets hitless after the fourth inning until Marte hit a double with two outs in the ninth. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2025

The killer blows off Gomber were a three-run double by Blaze Alexander in the first, a leadoff homer by Alexander in the fourth, and a two-run homer by Corbin Carroll in the fifth. —Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 9 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fifte, fifthe, from Old English fīfta, from fīf five

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing fifth

• fifth column
• fifth disease
• fifth wheel
• plead the fifth

Kids Definition

fifth

noun

ˈfith  ˈfif(t)th 

1

: one that is number five in a series see number

2

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

fifth adjective or adverb

fifthly adverb