thirty-eight

noun

thir·​ty-eight ˌthər-tē-ˈāt How to pronounce thirty-eight (audio)
1
: a number that is one more than 37 see Table of Numbers
2
: a .38 caliber handgun
usually written .38
thirty-eight adjective
thirty-eight pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of thirty-eight in a Sentence

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.
Our Streets, an exhibit that featured the photography of more than thirty-eight photojournalists, including that of September 11 victim Bill Biggart. Lashawn Harris august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025 Subramanyam, an extremely earnest, energetic thirty-eight-year-old congressman serving his first term, had brought with him as a surprise special guest, from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 According to Aberdeen Research, a company will spend thirty-eight million dollars a year on unplanned downtime costs, primarily due to human error ( Ryan Arsenault, 2016). Matt Randolph, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 The winners, chosen by an anonymous five-person panel, range in age from thirty-eight to eighty-two and were selected based on their demonstrated commitment to their respective practices, their unique contributions to their fields, and the consistently high quality of their work. News Desk, Artforum, 8 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thirty-eight was circa 1541

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thirty-eight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thirty-eight. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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