thirty

noun

thir·​ty ˈthər-tē How to pronounce thirty (audio)
plural thirties
1
: a number equal to three times 10 see Table of Numbers
2
thirties plural : the numbers 30 to 39
specifically : the years 30 to 39 in a lifetime or century
3
: a sign of completion : end
usually written 30
wrote thirty on the last page of the story
4
: the second point scored by a side in a game of tennis
thirtieth adjective or noun
thirty adjective
thirty pronoun, plural in construction
thirtyish adjective

Examples of thirty in a Sentence

The temperature outside is in the high thirties. He is in his thirties.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Since reaching his mid-thirties, the topic of Neuer’s succession has been on steady play in the German media. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 In the thirties, elixir sulfanilamide, an antibiotic mixed into a toxic solvent, gave patients intense pain, kidney failure, and neurological problems. Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026 All her siblings also died of ALS in their late thirties and early forties. Jon Lapook, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026 The declines were concentrated among prime working-age men (twenties to thirties); young women between ages 20 and 24; and men over 55. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thirty

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thritty, from thritty, adjective, from Old English thrītig, from thrītig group of 30, from thrīe three + -tig group of ten; akin to Old English tīen ten

First Known Use

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thirty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thirty. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

thirty

noun
thir·​ty ˈthərt-ē How to pronounce thirty (audio)
plural thirties
1
: a number equal to three times 10 see number
2
plural : the numbers 30 to 39
especially : the years 30 to 39 in a lifetime or century
thirtieth noun or adjective
thirty adjective or pronoun

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