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

Wagner earned a Pro Bowl nod, his tenth, and his fifth Second-Team All-Pro nod. —Geoffrey Knox, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025

The teams are within tenths of a percentage point of each other in steals, blocks and shooting percentages. —Joe Vardon, New York Times, 21 June 2025

The thickness of these filaments, however, is less than a tenth of the width of our galaxy. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 June 2025

After shaving a second off her previous best time on the backstroke leg, McIntosh was still a tenth of a second off Hosszú’s previous record pace at the final turn. —Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025

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