thirty-eight

noun

thir·​ty-eight ˌthər-tē-ˈāt 

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

Sarah Blakley-Cartwright is the author of Alice Sadie Celine and Red Riding Hood, a #1 New York Times bestseller published worldwide in thirty-eight editions and fifteen languages. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

Today, Tyrel is a thirty-eight-year-old architect in Montrose, with a young family of his own. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) announced the thirty-eight recipients of the last round of its A4 Arts Fund, which distributes $500,000 to arts and cultural organizations that support Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. — News Desk, Artforum, 25 Sep. 2026

Thirty-two knockouts in thirty-eight wins is not a record built on decisions. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for thirty-eight

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate