fifty

noun

fif·​ty ˈfif-tē 

plural fifties

1

: a number equal to five times 10 see Table of Numbers

2

fifties plural : the numbers 50 to 59

specifically : the years 50 to 59 in a lifetime or century

3

: a 50-dollar bill

fiftieth

ˈfif-tē-əth 

adjective or noun

fifty adjective

fifty pronoun, plural in construction

fiftyish

ˈfif-tē-ish 

adjective

Examples of fifty in a Sentence

She is in her fifties.

The bill for dinner came to $43, and she gave him a fifty.

Recent Examples on the Web

The 35-year-old bagged 12 centuries and 35 fifties in ODIs and had the highest score of 164 against New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2016. —Manasi Pathak, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

This mine looks like something out of the fifties because it was started in 1955. —Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2025

The cooking outfit is a little apron with a Jewish star on it, and the party dress is a classic fifties cocktail dress with a Jewish star and menorah pattern. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 25 Dec. 2024

In The Substance, Moore, in real life a fantastic-looking 62, is playing an equally fantastic-looking woman in her mid- to late fifties. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from fifty, adjective, from Old English fīftig, from fīftig, noun, group of 50, from fīf five + -tig group of ten; akin to tīen ten

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing fifty

• fifty-fifty

Rhymes for fifty

• nifty
• shifty
• thrifty
• unthrifty

Kids Definition

fifty

noun

fif·​ty ˈfif-tē 

plural fifties

: a number equal to five times 10 see number

fiftieth

-tē-əth 

adjective or noun

fifty adjective or pronoun