sixty

noun

six·​ty ˈsiks-tē 

plural sixties

1

: a number that is equal to six times 10 see Table of Numbers

2

sixties plural : the numbers 60 to 69

specifically : the years 60 to 69 in a lifetime or century

sixtieth

ˈsiks-tē-əth 

adjective or noun

sixty adjective

sixty pronoun, plural in construction

sixtyish

ˈsiks-tē-ish 

adjective

Examples of sixty in a Sentence

He retired when he was in his sixties.

Recent Examples on the Web

Recordings of the three men being interrogated provide the basis for flashbacks, and scenes set in Tehran’s artistic beau monde of the late sixties show the aftermath of their adventures. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026

Back in the sixties, the ramshackle War on Poverty left a memory of futility. —Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026

Overlooking the holy North Indian city of Rishikesh (where the Beatles visited in the sixties) and the Ganga river, the spa occupies 100 acres of the palace estate of the local Maharaja. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026

But into her sixties and seventies her physical health deteriorated. —Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from sixty, adjective, from Old English siextig, noun, group of sixty, from siex six + -tig group of ten; akin to Old English tīen ten

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sixty

• sixty-fourth note
• sixty-fourth rest
• sixty-nine

Kids Definition

sixty

noun

six·​ty ˈsik-stē 

plural sixties

: a number that is equal to six times 10 see number

sixtieth

-stē-əth 

adjective or noun

sixty adjective or pronoun