five

noun

ˈfīv 

plural fives

1

: a number that is one more than four see Table of Numbers

2

fives plural : a British handball game

3

: the fifth in a set or series

the five of clubs

4

: something having five units or members

especially : a basketball team

5

: a 5-dollar bill

6

: fifteen sense 2

7

: a gesture in which two people slap each other's extended hands (as in greeting or celebration)

—usually used in phrases with give or slap

So I slapped him five and hugged him.

—J. R. Burke

five adjective

five pronoun, plural in construction

see also high five, take five

Examples of five in a Sentence

I get off work at five.

The store is open until five.

Recent Examples on the Web

The intrigue: Both Raleigh and Durham had similar listening habits, with nearly identical top fives — though Durham left a spot for Ye, the controversial rapper and producer formerly known as Kanye West, and Raleigh preferred Morgan Wallen. —Zachery Eanes, Axios, 5 Dec. 2024

This chart week is just beginning, so Carpenter will claim her three top fives for the next few days. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024

The first attempts at Squads used military terms for the different roles — with majors looking over captains — and the students were grouped into twos and fives before Dent and his entourage finally settled on groups of three. —Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 13 May 2024

His technique was to re-pattern the bones, turn the sixes up, the fives aligned and facing each other. —Krista Stevens, Longreads, 19 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from five, adjective, from Old English fīf; akin to Old High German finf five, Latin quinque, Greek pente

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing five

• best (out) of three/five/seven
• five-and-dime
• five-and-ten
• five-card stud
• five-finger
• five-hole
• five-o'clock shadow
• five of a kind
• five-spice powder
• five-star
• forty-five
• high five
• hit the big five-oh
• nine-to-five job
• take five

Kids Definition

five

noun

ˈfīv 

1

: a number that is one more than four see number

2

: the fifth in a set or series

3

: something having five units or members

especially : a basketball team

4

: a 5-dollar bill

5

: a slapping of extended hands by two people (as in greeting or celebration)

I slapped him five after he scored

five adjective or pronoun