four

noun

ˈfȯr 

1

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

2

: the fourth in a set or series

the four of hearts

3

: something having four units or members: such as

a

: a 4-oared racing shell or its crew

b

: a 4-cylinder engine or automobile

four adjective

four pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of four in a Sentence

“What time is it?” “It's four.”

I leave each day at four.

Recent Examples on the Web

Samra’s 110 off 65 balls, which included six sixes and 11 fours, had earlier guided Canada to 173-4 after captain Dilpreet Bajwa won the toss and elected to bat. —ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026

Arteta’s side would be facing a team that conceded only 22 goals in the league, with Edwin van der Sar marshalling one of the best back fours in Premier League history. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2026

The days of fab fives, core fours moving together, sharing experiences in the same program have been lost in this era of revenue sharing and easy transfer rules. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 7 Jan. 2026

Petit fours can be anything from cream puffs or French macarons, to cookies, tarts, and mini cakes like these (petit fours glacés). —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from four adjective, from Old English fēower; akin to Old High German fior four, Latin quattuor, Greek tessares, tettares

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing four

• four-bagger
• four-ball
• four-by-four
• four-dimensional
• four-eyed
• four flush
• four-footed
• four-hand
• four-handed
• four-in-hand
• four-leaf clover
• four-letter
• four-letter word
• four-o'clock
• four of a kind
• four-peat
• four-poster
• four square
• four-star
• four-way
• four-wheel
• four-wheel drive
• four-wheeled
• four-wheeler
• four-wing saltbush
• from the four corners of the earth
• hit the big four-oh
• petit four
• these four walls
• twenty-four hours a day
• twenty-four seven
• two-by-four

Rhymes for four

• boar
• boer
• bore
• chore
• cor
• core
• corps
• crore
• door
• drawer
• floor
• flor

Kids Definition

four

noun

ˈfō(ə)r 

ˈfȯ(ə)r

1

: a number that is one more than three see number

2

: the fourth in a set or series

3

: something having four units or members

four adjective or pronoun