plural fifths
ˈfiths 
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
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
The 1st District in northwest Indiana, where nearly a fifth of people identify as Black or African American, was also split and joined with rural counties.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 8 Dec. 2025
The goal was Verhaeghe’s fifth of the season and his 143rd overall with the Panthers — passing Nathan Horton for eighth-most all-time in franchise history — and his first since becoming a first-time dad to son Rory on Tuesday.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Dec. 2025
Post-tax incomes for the bottom fifth of the scale have more than doubled since 1990.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
Only about one-fifth of the district’s voters now live in heavily Democratic Nashville; the rest stretch through fast-growing suburbs and more conservative rural counties.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fifth
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.
Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 8 Dec. 2025
The goal was Verhaeghe’s fifth of the season and his 143rd overall with the Panthers — passing Nathan Horton for eighth-most all-time in franchise history — and his first since becoming a first-time dad to son Rory on Tuesday.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Dec. 2025
Post-tax incomes for the bottom fifth of the scale have more than doubled since 1990.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
Only about one-fifth of the district’s voters now live in heavily Democratic Nashville; the rest stretch through fast-growing suburbs and more conservative rural counties.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fifth
Cite this Entry
“Fifth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fifth. Accessed 12 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share