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.

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adverb

1. in the fifth place; fifthly.

noun

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

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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

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Etymology

Origin of fifth

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

Example Sentences

The “Abbott Elementary” star and creator’s production company Fifth Chance Productions will team with cartoonist Max Fleischer’s grandson Mark Fleischer and their Fleischer Studios for the film.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

The large vehicle drove through the intersection near Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street roughly 12 minutes before the woman parked nearby, utility company Con Edison said Tuesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

“Assuming the war de-escalates in coming weeks and months, the U.S. economy should enjoy a better year of job growth in 2026 than 2025,” said Bill Adams, chief economist at Fifth Third Commercial Bank.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

Others, including Fifth Monarchist Wentworth Day, followed suit in later prosecutions.

From Science Daily • May 7, 2026

Instead she led him out the door into the Fifth Avenue crowd and began walking uptown with him as fast as she could go.

From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg