fifty: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1Neutral / All Registers
Quick answer
What does “fifty” mean?
The number 50, equivalent to five times ten.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The number 50, equivalent to five times ten.
A set or group of fifty persons or things; used to refer to the age of fifty years or a fifty-year anniversary; used in scores, measurements, and various contexts to denote the quantity fifty.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or grammatical use. Minor spelling variations may occur in compounds (e.g., fifty-first).
Connotations
Generally neutral. Can connote a milestone age ('the big five-oh') or a historical era (the 1950s).
Frequency
Equally frequent and used identically in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “fifty” in a Sentence
[DET] fifty [NOUN PLURAL]a group of fiftybe [AGE] fiftyNUM + fifty (e.g., one hundred and fifty)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fifty” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- It's a fifty-page document.
- We need fifty more chairs.
American English
- She celebrated her fiftieth (50th) birthday.
- It's a fifty-dollar bill.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in financial reports, quantities, and statistics (e.g., 'fifty units sold').
Academic
Used in quantitative data, historical dates, and statistical analysis.
Everyday
Used for age, prices, quantities, scores, and approximate numbers.
Technical
Used as a precise numerical value in measurements, codes, and identifiers.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fifty”
- Using singular verb with plural noun phrase (e.g., 'Fifty dollars is missing' vs. 'Fifty dollars are missing' depending on whether treating it as a sum or individual units).
- Misspelling as 'fivety'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'fifty' is not used as a verb. It is a cardinal number.
The ordinal number is 'fiftieth'. It is written as '50th' in numerals.
When 'fifty' is part of a subject referring to plural countable items, use a plural verb (e.g., 'Fifty students are present'). When referring to a single sum or unit, a singular verb may be used (e.g., 'Fifty pounds is a lot of money').
Yes, in informal contexts it can be used as an approximation or to mean 'a large number', as in 'I've told you fifty times!'
The number 50, equivalent to five times ten.
Fifty is usually neutral / all registers in register.
Fifty: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɪfti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɪfti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fifty-fifty (50/50)”
- “the wrong side of fifty”
- “in one's fifties”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FIFI (a poodle) with a TIE, holding up 5 fingers on each hand (5x10=50).
Conceptual Metaphor
MIDPOINT / MILESTONE (e.g., 'the fifty-yard line', 'fifty years of marriage').
Practice
Quiz
In the phrase 'a fifty-fifty chance', what does 'fifty-fifty' mean?