sixth

noun

ˈsiks(t)th  ˈsiks(t) 

plural sixths

ˈsiks(ts),

ˈsiks(t)ths 

1

: one that is number six in a series

We'll be arriving on the sixth.

Her office is the sixth on the left.

see Table of Numbers

2

: one of six equal parts of something

one sixth of the total

3

a

: a musical interval embracing six diatonic degrees

b

: a tone at this interval

specifically : submediant

c

: the harmonic combination of two tones a sixth apart

sixth adjective or adverb

the book's sixth chapter

the state's sixth largest city

sixthly

ˈsiksth-lē 

ˈsikst-

adverb

Sixthly, don't let your screaming tenor soar an octave above all the balance of the chorus …

—Mark Twain

Examples of sixth in a Sentence

Only about a sixth of the town voted for her.

Recent Examples on the Web

Its growth focus is back in Asia—particularly mainland China, Singapore, India, and the UAE—and internationally mobile customers, who already represent a sixth of its total. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024

Radiocarbon dating and coins suggest the site was occupied from the late sixth to the early 11th centuries, prime time for the Silk Road. —Byandrew Lawler, science.org, 23 Oct. 2024

From 2021 to 2023, as migrant crossings at the southern border reached record highs, Immigration and Customs Enforcement deployed roughly a sixth of its workforce typically dedicated to deportation to the border to assist Customs and Border Patrol. —Julia Ingram, CBS News, 17 Oct. 2024

Evan Phillips followed, finishing off the fifth and working a clean sixth. —Dan Freedman, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sixth

• sixth chord
• sixth form
• sixth form college
• sixth sense

Kids Definition

sixth

noun

ˈsiks(t)th 

ˈsiks(t)

plural sixths

1

: one that is number six in a series see number

2

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

sixth adjective or adverb

sixthly

ˈsiksth-lē 

ˈsikst-

adverb