plural tenths ˈten(t)s How to pronounce tenth (audio) ˈten(t)ths How to pronounce tenth (audio)
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
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.
Jensen tapped his helmet and the ensuing ABS challenge showed the pitch was less than one-tenth of an inch outside. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2026 Lerner said a splash pad was added along with a dog park, a picnic shelter, a basketball hoop with room for half-court games and a walking path seven-tenths of a mile around — the longest in any of the city’s parks. Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026 Non-English language titles represent more than a third of all viewing, compared to less than a tenth a decade ago, Netflix said. Zaheer Kachwala, USA Today, 12 May 2026 Fuoco had fresher tires and was never more than a few tenths of a second behind the second BMW. Luke Smith, New York Times, 9 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tenth

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tenth was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tenth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenth. Accessed 19 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

tenth

noun
plural tenths ˈten(t)s How to pronounce tenth (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on tenth

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster