tenth

noun

ˈten(t)th 

plural tenths ˈten(t)s  ˈten(t)ths 

1

: one that is number ten in a series

the tenth of February

She was the tenth in line.

see Table of Numbers

2

: one of ten equal parts of something

He sold the car for a tenth of its value.

3

a

: a musical interval embracing an octave and a third

b

: the tone at this interval

tenth adjective or adverb

the tenth floor

the world's tenth largest company

Examples of tenth in a Sentence

He was tenth in line.

He traded stocks for one tenth their face value.

I only paid a tenth of what you did for that jacket.

Recent Examples on the Web

But a spokesperson for Mevion said the same device cost $33 million elsewhere – roughly one-tenth the cost of some other, larger proton systems. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 18 June 2026

All in all, the researchers estimated their new device consumes at most one-tenth the power of current state-of-the-art electronic neuromorphic hardware. —IEEE Spectrum, 18 June 2026

The National Weather Service says there is a 70% chance of precipitation during the day, with rainfall amounts generally between one-tenth and one-quarter of an inch. —Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 16 June 2026

Today, more than half of plastic waste ends up in landfills, and less than one-tenth is recycled globally. —Lisa Emili, The Conversation, 16 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tenth

• tenth-rate

Kids Definition

tenth

noun

ˈten(t)th 

plural tenths ˈten(t)s 

ˈten(t)ths

1

: one that is number 10 in a series see number

2

: one of 10 equal parts of something

3

: the one numbered 10 in a countable series

tenth adjective or adverb