umpteen

American  

[uhmp-teen] / ˈʌmpˈtin /

Also umpsteen

adjective

Informal.

1. innumerable; many.

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umpteen British  

/ ˌʌmpˈtiːn /

determiner

1. informal

   1. very many

      umpteen things to do

   2. ( as pronoun )

      umpteen of them came

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Other Word Forms

• umpteenth
  noun

Etymology

Origin of umpteen

1915–20; ump(ty) , fanciful designation for an indeterminate number (with -ty as in twenty, etc.) + -teen

Explanation

Use this informal word when you want to emphasize a large but vague quantity. If you get umpteen text messages from your friend reminding you to return the sweatshirt you borrowed, you know she really wants it back. Use umpteen when you have so many of something that it's not even worth counting them. It's kind of like saying "a zillion." If the smell of your dirty gym clothes is wafting into the hallway, your parents might complain, "We have told you umpteen times to clean up your room!" Umpteen started as World War I Army slang, from umpty which means either "of an indefinite number" or "dash" in Morse code.

Example Sentences

Behind the scenes, two shiny steel smokers hold umpteen dangling rows of curing links, among lots of other equipment that gets the sausage made.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 22, 2023

Today you can go online and find umpteen pairs talking about movies, maybe even arguing about them.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2023

I mean, I didn't even know what a Kardashian was for umpteen years, and I led a blessed existence until someone finally, I said, "What's a Kardashian?"

From Salon • Jul. 19, 2023

Capaldi has had umpteen small moments in which his comedic persona has been as loud as his songs.

From New York Times • May 6, 2023

I’d been through this umpteen times before but it never gets any easier.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool