fifth

American  

[fifth, fith] / fɪfθ, fɪθ /

adjective

1. next after the fourth; being the ordinal number for five.

2. being one of five equal parts.

3. Automotive. of, relating to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which the drive shaft speed is greater than that of fourth gear for a given engine crankshaft speed.

   fifth gear.

---

adverb

1. in the fifth place; fifthly.

noun

fifths plural

1. a fifth part, especially of one (1/5).

2. the fifth member of a series.

3. a fifth part of a gallon of liquor or spirits; 4/5 (0.8) of a quart (about 750 milliliters).

4. Automotive. fifth gear.

5. Music.

   1. a tone on the fifth degree from another tone (counted as the first).

   2. the interval between such tones.

   3. the harmonic combination of such tones.

idioms

1. plead the Fifth, to decline on the basis of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to answer a question when testifying. Also take the Fifth

fifth British  

/ fɪfθ /

adjective

1. 1. coming after the fourth in order, position, time, etc. Often written: 5th

   2. ( as noun )

      he came on the fifth

---

noun

1. 1. one of five equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, measurement, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a fifth part

2. the fraction equal to one divided by five ( 1/ 5 )

3. music

   1. the interval between one note and another five notes away from it counting inclusively along the diatonic scale

   2. one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the other See also perfect diminished interval

4. an additional high gear fitted to some motor vehicles

adverb

1. Also: fifthly.  after the fourth person, position, event, etc

1. Also: fifthly.  as the fifth point: linking what follows with the previous statements, as in a speech or argument

fifth More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fifth

• take the fifth

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fifths
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fifth

First recorded before 1000; earlier fift, Middle English fifte, Old English fīfta; -th by analogy with fourth, etc.

Example Sentences

With both players staying strong on serve in the fifth, a match tie-break became inevitable.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026

There are few written sources for events in Britain between the breakdown of Roman power there in the early fifth century and the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity that began around the year 600.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026

Will Jean Smart win her fifth straight Emmy for “Hacks”? Will “Widow’s Bay” shoot to the top of the nominations list despite its late-season arrival?

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026

Party Rock Anthem has been named the fifth most successful song of all time by Billboard after spending six weeks as the number one song on its Hot 100 in 2011.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026

“Just fifth grade. It’s stupid anyway. The president takes attendance, and the vice president turns the lights on and off Stupid stuff like that.”

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff