fourth

[fawrth, fohrth]

adjective

1. next after the third; being the ordinal number for four.

2. being one of four 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 third gear for a given engine crankshaft speed, but not so great as that of fifth gear, if such exists.

   fourth gear.

noun

1. a fourth part, especially of one (¼).

2. the fourth member of a series.

3. Music.

   1. a tone on the fourth degree from a given tone (counted as the first).

   2. the interval between such tones.

   3. the harmonic combination of such tones.

4. Automotive.,  fourth gear.

   She downshifted from fifth to fourth as we started up the hill.

5. the Fourth. Independence Day; the Fourth of July.

adverb

1. in the fourth place; fourthly.

fourth

/ fɔːθ /

adjective

1. 1. coming after the third in order, position, time, etc. Often written: 4th

   2. ( as noun )

      the fourth in succession

2. denoting the fourth forward ratio of a gearbox in motor vehicles

noun

1. music

   1. the interval between one note and another four 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 interval diminished

2. the fourth forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle

   he changed into fourth as soon as he had passed me

3. a less common word for quarter

adverb

1. after the third person, position, event, etc

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of fourth¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English fourthe, Old English fēowertha; four, -th ²

Example Sentences

Now in its fourth week, the government shutdown has loomed over airline results in recent weeks.

Read more on Barron's

That’s the fourth leg of implementing our view on the direction of interest rates.

Read more on Barron's

Ford has incurred $1.7 billion in tariffs, so far, but the relief is retroactive, and the benefits will show in the fourth quarter, she said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Recording just over 11,472 injuries, this marked the fourth yearly increase in a row, but was still below level reported in 2019-20.

Read more on BBC

He also said sales growth for the fourth quarter “will probably get tougher” given the strength seen a year ago, before tariff uncertainties kicked in.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• one-fourth www.thesaurus.com
• part 
• portion 
• term