fifty

noun

fif·​ty ˈfif-tē 

plural fifties

1

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

2

fifties plural : the numbers 50 to 59

specifically : the years 50 to 59 in a lifetime or century

3

: a 50-dollar bill

fiftieth

ˈfif-tē-əth 

adjective or noun

fifty adjective

fifty pronoun, plural in construction

fiftyish

ˈfif-tē-ish 

adjective

Examples of fifty in a Sentence

She is in her fifties.

The bill for dinner came to $43, and she gave him a fifty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, in the early fifties, one of his clients told him about an interesting new store in Los Angeles called Fedco. —Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025

Screening can begin during routine visits for women in their forties and fifties, with clear pathways for counselling and treatment. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025

Instead, the youngest will be in their fifties — because all are living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and this evening is designated as an Alzheimer’s Society match. —Phil Hay, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025

Baker was in his late-fifties, a no-nonsense investigator with more than 35 years of experience, tall and thin with a bald head under a cowboy hat, prominent smile lines, and a steel-grip handshake. —Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from fifty, adjective, from Old English fīftig, from fīftig, noun, group of 50, from fīf five + -tig group of ten; akin to tīen ten

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fifty

• fifty-fifty

Rhymes for fifty

• nifty
• shifty
• thrifty
• unthrifty

Kids Definition

fifty

noun

fif·​ty ˈfif-tē 

plural fifties

: a number equal to five times 10 see number

fiftieth

-tē-əth 

adjective or noun

fifty adjective or pronoun