eighteenth
B1Neutral to Formal
Definition
Meaning
The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 18; coming next after the seventeenth in position.
Also used to designate one of eighteen equal parts of something (1/18). In historical contexts, it can refer to the period, style, or events of the 1700s (the eighteenth century).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primary function is as an ordinal numeral (eighteenth in line). The fractional sense ('an eighteenth of the estate') is less common. The historical/cultural sense (eighteenth-century literature) is a distinct, frequent usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. Minor orthographic preference in dates: BrE often omits the article ('on eighteenth May'), while AmE typically includes it ('on the eighteenth of May' or 'on May eighteenth').
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. The 'eighteenth century' strongly connotes the Enlightenment, colonial expansion, and specific artistic styles (e.g., Georgian architecture in UK, Colonial in US).
Frequency
Equally frequent and used identically in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[the] + eighteenth + [of] + [month][the] + eighteenth + [century/amendment/hole/etc.][be] + [position] + eighteenth[a/an] + eighteenth + [of] + [noun]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The eighteenth hole (golf: the final hole)”
- “Sweet eighteenth (variation of 'sweet sixteen' for 18th birthday)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reporting periods (e.g., 'the eighteenth quarterly report').
Academic
Crucial in historical periodization (e.g., 'eighteenth-century economic thought').
Everyday
Most common for birthdays, dates, and sequence (e.g., 'Her party is on the eighteenth').
Technical
Used in legal contexts (e.g., 'the Eighteenth Amendment' to the US Constitution) and in golf.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (No verb form for 'eighteenth')
American English
- (No verb form for 'eighteenth')
adverb
British English
- (Rare as adverb) He finished eighteenth in the London Marathon.
American English
- (Rare as adverb) She ranked eighteenth nationally in the competition.
adjective
British English
- She is celebrating her eighteenth birthday.
- It's a fine example of eighteenth-century porcelain.
American English
- He ran the eighteenth lap the fastest.
- The Eighteenth Amendment instituted Prohibition.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My birthday is on the eighteenth of June.
- She is eighteen years old today. It is her eighteenth birthday.
- We are studying the industrial revolution in the eighteenth century.
- He came eighteenth out of fifty runners in the race.
- The manuscript, dating from the late eighteenth century, was remarkably well-preserved.
- An eighteenth of the company's profits were allocated to the research fund.
- The architect's design was a deliberate homage to the Palladian style prevalent in the mid-eighteenth century.
- As the eighteenth signatory to the treaty, their nation's commitment was seen as pivotal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
EIGHT + TEEN + TH. Remember: it's the 'teen' age that ends with legal adulthood in many countries, hence the important '-th'.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSITION AS NUMBER IN A SEQUENCE (e.g., 'eighteenth in the queue'), ERA AS A CONTAINER (e.g., 'in the eighteenth century').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with cardinal 'восемнадцать'. Remember the ordinal suffix '-th' = '-ый'/' -ой'.
- Avoid literal translation of 'on eighteenth May' order; Russian uses genitive case (восемнадцатого мая).
- The fractional 'an eighteenth' (одна восемнадцатая) is rare but follows the same pattern.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'eightenth' (dropping the second 'e').
- Incorrect pronunciation: /eɪˈtiːn/ (like the cardinal) instead of /eɪˈtiːnθ/.
- Using 'the' incorrectly with dates (e.g., BrE: 'I arrive on eighteenth July' vs. AmE: 'I arrive on July the eighteenth').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'eighteenth' used as a fraction?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the standard pronunciation /ˌeɪˈtiːnθ/ is virtually identical in both major variants.
Its most frequent use is as an ordinal number for dates, birthdays, and positions in a sequence (e.g., 'the eighteenth of May').
Yes, it can function as a noun, meaning 'one of eighteen equal parts' (e.g., 'an eighteenth of the total') or a person/thing in the eighteenth position.
It refers to the 1700s (1701-1800), a period marked globally by the Enlightenment, colonial empires, revolutions (American, French), and significant advancements in science, philosophy, and the arts.