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

Even in T20 cricket, you might feel like you have witnessed England play West Indies or Pakistan umpteen times in recent years.

From BBC • May 31, 2024

Of course there were umpteen great reasons why Dietz would be so excited at the prospect of Ryan overseeing the adaptation, which has since been retitled “What Happens Later.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 2, 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

I may not’ve had a date in umpteen years, but who does he think he is?

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett