five

American  

[fahyv] / faɪv /

noun

1. a cardinal number, four plus one.

2. a symbol for this number, as 5 or V.

3. a set of this many persons or things.

4. a playing card, die face, or half of a domino face with five pips.

5. Informal. a five-dollar bill.

   Can you give me two fives for a ten?

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adjective

1. amounting to five in number.

idioms

1. take five, to take a brief respite.

five British  

/ faɪv /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

2. a numeral, 5, V, etc, representing this number

3. the amount or quantity that is one greater than four

4. something representing, represented by, or consisting of five units, such as a playing card with five symbols on it

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determiner

1. 1. amounting to five

      five minutes

      five nights

   2. ( as pronoun )

      choose any five you like

five More Idioms  

1. see take five.

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Etymology

Origin of five

before 1000; 1925–30 five for def. 7; Middle English; Old English fīf; cognate with Dutch vijf, German fünf, Old Norse fimm, Gothic fimf, Latin quīnque, Greek pénte, Sanskrit pancha

Example Sentences

Certainly, there is ample room for the family in the townhome, which spreads across more than 7,800 square feet, including five bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, and multiple living spaces.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

Capital spending plans for 51 investor-owned utilities have reached an estimated $1.4 trillion for the next five years, according to a new report from PowerLines, a consumer education group.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

All five men, who were originally from Albania, admitted the crimes when they appeared in court.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

He believes that he could have got them to stay together and he said that he believes they could have gone on and won four or five more championships.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

“Miss Genovese gave you five infractions. Miss Genovese ran out of infractions to give you so instead she just hung a sandwich board of shame around your neck for your entire shift.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse