twenty

noun

twen·​ty ˈtwen-tē  ˈtwən- 

plural twenties

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

ˈtwen-tē-əth 

ˈtwən-

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

The early-twenties moves are dominated by recent Premier League transfers, but the fees generally start to decline after age 25, perhaps an indicator of the importance placed on physicality and athleticism in the modern game. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026

Created by Ben Kronengold & Rebecca Shaw, Adults puts a puts a generational lens on the wins, losses and humiliations of being in your twenties. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026

So much of your twenties is about transference and projection. — Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026

Erika Hertz, the Arendt character, describes her life in wild Berlin in the twenties and then in the early Nazi period and finally on the Upper West Side. — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

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

Phrases Containing twenty

• twenty-four hours a day
• twenty-fourmo
• twenty-four seven
• twenty-one
• twenty-twenty
• twenty-twenty hindsight
• twenty-twenty vision
• twenty-two

Rhymes for twenty

• mentee
• plenty
• senti
• aplenty
• placentae

Kids Definition

twenty

noun

twen·​ty ˈtwent-ē 

plural twenties

: a number equal to two times 10 see number

twenty adjective or pronoun