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

Resume: The Lions finished the season as the NFL leader in points (33.2 per game) after ranking fifth in that category (27.1) in 2023. —Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2025

The Vikings fall to fifth and will open the postseason on the road. —Andrew Greif, NBC News, 6 Jan. 2025

Last year, a health profile of Greece from the European Commission reported that about a fifth of the country’s deaths in 2019 could be attributed to tobacco smoking, including direct and secondhand. —Niki Kitsantonis, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024

For some, the declines were symptomatic of a greater disorder originating from within the league itself, something egregious enough to effectively drive a fifth of the audience away within the span of a single year. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Dec. 2024

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