twenty

noun

twen·​ty ˈtwen-tē  ˈtwən- 

plural twenties

1

: a number equal to two times 10 see Table of Numbers

2

twenties plural : the numbers 20 to 29

specifically : the years 20 to 29 in a lifetime or century

3

: a 20-dollar bill

twentieth

ˈtwen-tē-əth 

ˈtwən-

adjective or noun

twenty adjective

twenty pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of twenty in a Sentence

Tomorrow the temperature will be in the low twenties.

Recent Examples on the Web

By 1894, Ammassalik had a fur-trading post; by the early nineteen-twenties, the Inuit population had almost doubled, and was exceeding the capacity of the local hunting yield. —Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

At her home day care, Rodriguez employs a group of teachers and caretakers who are, for the most part, either in their twenties and childless or else parents with at least one child enrolled in the day care. —Lauren Hilgers, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025

In his early twenties, Surovtsev was baptized in prison. —Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 17 Nov. 2025

April is in her mid-twenties, her daughter ten. —Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from twenty, adjective, from Old English twēntig, noun, group of 20, from twēn- (akin to Old English twā two) + -tig group of 10; akin to Old English tīen ten — more at two, ten

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing twenty

• twenty-four hours a day
• twenty-fourmo
• twenty-four seven
• twenty-one
• twenty-twenty
• twenty-twenty hindsight
• twenty-twenty vision
• twenty-two

Rhymes for twenty

• mentee
• plenty
• senti
• aplenty

Kids Definition

twenty

noun

twen·​ty ˈtwent-ē 

plural twenties

: a number equal to two times 10 see number

twenty adjective or pronoun