fifth

noun

plural fifths ˈfiths How to pronounce fifth (audio)
ˈfif(t)ths
ˈfif(t)s
1
: one that is number five in a series
Payment is due on the fifth of the month.
see Table of Numbers
2
: one of five equal parts of something
spent a fifth of their income on rent
3
a
: the musical interval embracing five diatonic degrees
b
: a tone at this interval
specifically : dominant sense 1
c
: the harmonic combination of two tones at this interval
4
: a unit of measure for liquor equal to one fifth of a U.S. gallon (0.757 liter)
5
the Fifth : the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
also : the right accorded by the Fifth Amendment to refuse to testify against oneself see also plead the fifth, take the fifth
fifth adjective or adverb
the fifth annual food festival
She finished fifth in the race.
fifthly adverb
Fourthly, it takes a lot of concrete to make a nuclear power plant. Fifthly, there is no place to put the waste that is safe. Victor Odlivak

Examples of fifth in a Sentence

The bill is due on the fifth of each month. She donated a fifth of her income to charity. bought a fifth of whiskey
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.
The touchdown for Wilson marked his fifth of the season, which is also a career high. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025 More than one-fifth of working-age recipients of Supplemental Security Income qualified because of an intellectual disability, according to a 2017 report. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025 One of the Apple Watch’s biggest threats has no screen, weighs about a fifth of an ounce and charges a monthly subscription for most of its features. Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025 The Ministry of Education said in August that one-fifth of higher education programs nationwide have been revamped in the last two years — with a slew of majors cut or added — to channel more students into AI and integrated circuits fields. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fifth

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fifte, fifthe, from Old English fīfta, from fīf five

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of fifth was in 1557

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fifth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fifth. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

fifth

noun
1
: one that is number five in a series see number
2
: the difference in pitch between the first tone and the fifth tone of a scale
fifth adjective or adverb
fifthly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on fifth

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