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

As for Saturday, after dealing Gaudreau to the Seattle Kraken for a fourth-round pick, the Wild have five picks: a second-rounder at No. 52, two fourths at Nos. 102 and 121, a fifth at No. 141 and a sixth at No. 180. —Michael Russo, New York Times, 28 June 2025

The third application didn’t have a cosigner option, so the office looked for a fourth. —Literary Hub, 26 June 2025

Directions Fill a 5- to 6- quart pan (with a lid) three fourths of the way with water. —Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2025

But Indiana took control from then onwards, going on a huge 19-0 run in the third quarter before 10 points from Mitchell in the fourth helped round out the win. —Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 15 June 2025

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