fifty

1 of 3

noun (1)

fif·​ty ˈfif-tē How to pronounce fifty (audio)
plural fifties
Synonyms of fiftynext
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 How to pronounce fifty (audio)
adjective or noun
fifty adjective
fifty pronoun, plural in construction
fiftyish
ˈfif-tē-ish How to pronounce fifty (audio)
adjective

fiftieth

2 of 3

adjective

fif·​ti·​eth ˈfiftēə̇th How to pronounce fiftieth (audio)
-tiə̇th
1
: being number 50 in a countable series
the fiftieth day
see Table of Numbers
2
: being one of 50 equal parts into which something is divisible
a fiftieth share

fiftieth

3 of 3

noun (2)

"
plural -s
1
: number 50 in a countable series
2
: the quotient of a unit divided by 50 : one of 50 equal parts of something
one fiftieth of the total

Examples of fifty in a Sentence

Noun (1) She is in her fifties. The bill for dinner came to $43, and she gave him a fifty.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
On a previous voyage, the captain—who is in his late fifties, with a young wife and child—pursued the gigantic, unnaturally white sperm whale known to mariners as Moby Dick. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 Carrión took me up a hill to a restaurant owned by Solanda Vera and her son Humberto, a fisherman in his fifties. — Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026 Hershberger, who was in his early fifties, built a 30-year career from his love of music, earning a master’s degree in instrumental music education from Wichita State University in 1999. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 15 June 2026 Just two players recorded fifties — England’s Harry Brook and Emilio Gay — and four different bowlers took five wickets or more in an innings, the first time that has happened in a Lord’s Test. — Paul Newman, New York Times, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fifty

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Adjective

Middle English fiftithe, adjective & noun, from Old English fīftigotha (akin to Old Norse fimmtugandi), from fīftig fifty + -otha, -tha, -th

Noun (2)

Middle English fiftithe

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of fifty was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing fifty

Rhymes for fifty

See All Rhymes for fifty

Browse Nearby Words

fiftieth
fifty
fifty-eight
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fifty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fifty. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fifty

noun
fif·​ty ˈfif-tē How to pronounce fifty (audio)
plural fifties
: a number equal to five times 10 see number
fiftieth
-tē-əth How to pronounce fifty (audio)
adjective or noun
fifty adjective or pronoun

More from Merriam-Webster on fifty

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fifty

Nglish: Translation of fifty for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fifty

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