fourth

noun

ˈfȯrth 

plural fourths ˈfȯr(th)s 

1

: one that is number four in a series

I was the fourth to arrive.

They arrive on the fourth. [=the fourth day of the month]

see Table of Numbers

2

: one of four equal parts of something : quarter entry 1

Cut the cake into fourths.

a fourth of the population

3

a

: a musical interval (see interval sense 2) embracing four tones of the diatonic scale

b

: a tone at this interval

specifically : subdominant sense 1

c

: the harmonic combination of two tones a fourth apart

4

: the fourth forward gear or speed of a motor vehicle

shifted into fourth

5

the Fourth : July 4 observed as a legal holiday in the U.S. in commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 : fourth of july

watched fireworks on the Fourth

called also Independence Day

fourth adjective or adverb

the fourth edition of a book

the fourth tallest mountain

fourthly adverb

Fourthly, don't sing a whole opera through …

—Mark Twain

Examples of fourth in a Sentence

cut the cake into fourths

She drank a fourth of the bottle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sacramento led 70-58 at the end of the third quarter and went up by as many as 16 in the fourth. — Jason Anderson july 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026

Outfielder Brandon Nimmo hit one in the first, infielder Ezequiel Duran hit one in the third and infielder Justin Foscue hit one in the fourth. — Cal Phillips updated July 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026

LeRoy Collins, governor from 1955 through 1960, carried out 29 executions but spared nine people, nearly one-fourth of those whose cases came to his desk. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 July 2026

Carlos Narváez hit an RBI single of his own and Cheng added his second RBI of the night in the fourth. — ABC News, 8 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

see four

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing fourth

• a poor second/third/fourth
• fourth dimension
• fourth estate
• fourth trimester
• fourth wall
• fourth world
• sixty-fourth note
• sixty-fourth rest

Rhymes for fourth

• henceforth
• thenceforth

Kids Definition

fourth

noun

ˈfō(ə)rth 

ˈfȯ(ə)rth

1

: one that is number four in a series see number

2

: the difference in pitch between the first tone and the fourth tone of a scale

fourth adjective or adverb

fourthly adverb