twenty

noun

twen·​ty ˈtwen-tē How to pronounce twenty (audio) ˈtwən- How to pronounce twenty (audio)
plural twenties
Synonyms of twentynext
1
: a number equal to two times 10 see Table of Numbers
2
twenties plural : the numbers 20 to 29
specifically : the years 20 to 29 in a lifetime or century
3
: a 20-dollar bill
twentieth adjective or noun
twenty adjective
twenty pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of twenty in a Sentence

Tomorrow the temperature will be in the low twenties.
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.
He was born in 1906 and, in his twenties, was a writer and critic in Berlin. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 May 2026 The actor and hair stylist, who met Weinstein in her twenties while trying to make it as an actor in Hollywood, spent five days on the stand, frequently becoming distraught while divulging deeply personal details about her life and four-year relationship with Weinstein. Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 13 May 2026 In his early twenties, Jobs was hooked on the idea that everyone should be able to own a home computer. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 May 2026 After a chance encounter with a group of influencers in their twenties who are passing through town, Ernie invites them into his home – a decision that unsettles the fragile world he’s spent years trying to exist within. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for twenty

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from twenty, adjective, from Old English twēntig, noun, group of 20, from twēn- (akin to Old English twā two) + -tig group of 10; akin to Old English tīen ten — more at two, ten

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Cite this Entry

“Twenty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twenty. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

twenty

noun
twen·​ty ˈtwent-ē How to pronounce twenty (audio)
plural twenties
: a number equal to two times 10 see number
twenty adjective or pronoun

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