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

The waiter was older, in his sixties, and spoke a little English. —Literary Hub, 18 June 2025

Imagine a group of a thousand heavy smokers in their sixties. —Siddhartha Mukherjee, New Yorker, 16 June 2025

Dear Liz: My husband’s parents, who are 88 and 93, respectively, have decided to leave their house, worth $800,000, equally, to their three children, who are all in their sixties. —Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025

Built in the sixties, the Transcanyon Waterline stretches 12.5 miles across the canyon and delivers drinking water from a spring on the North Rim to the hotels, visitor centers, and lodges on the South Rim. —Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 5 June 2025

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