tenth

noun

ˈten(t)th 

plural tenths ˈten(t)s  ˈten(t)ths 

1

: one that is number ten in a series

the tenth of February

She was the tenth in line.

see Table of Numbers

2

: one of ten equal parts of something

He sold the car for a tenth of its value.

3

a

: a musical interval embracing an octave and a third

b

: the tone at this interval

tenth adjective or adverb

the tenth floor

the world's tenth largest company

Examples of tenth in a Sentence

He was tenth in line.

He traded stocks for one tenth their face value.

I only paid a tenth of what you did for that jacket.

Recent Examples on the Web

Typical thunderstorms have just a tenth the electric juice needed to spark, and the strongest fields ever measured reach just a third of the critical intensity. —Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2026

Lando Norris took pole in sprint qualifying, a couple of tenths of a second faster than McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 4 May 2026

Up to one-tenth of an inch of rain between Monday night and Tuesday afternoon is possible for Orange County, the Inland Empire and San Diego. —Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026

Consequently, being able to process information without losing tenths of a second is a valuable talent for a F1 driver. —Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tenth

• tenth-rate

Kids Definition

tenth

noun

ˈten(t)th 

plural tenths ˈten(t)s 

ˈten(t)ths

1

: one that is number 10 in a series see number

2

: one of 10 equal parts of something

3

: the one numbered 10 in a countable series

tenth adjective or adverb