fifty-nine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “fifty-nine” mean?
The cardinal number equivalent to the sum of fifty and nine.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The cardinal number equivalent to the sum of fifty and nine; 59.
Used to denote quantity, order, age, or as part of a compound numeral (e.g., fifty-nine thousand).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Hyphenation (fifty-nine) is standard in both varieties for the written form of the cardinal number.
Connotations
None specific to either variety.
Frequency
Equal frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “fifty-nine” in a Sentence
[BE] fifty-nine[HAVE] fifty-nine [NOUN][NUMBER] fifty-nineVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fifty-nine” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- She bought fifty-nine roses for the event.
- The recipe requires fifty-nine grams of flour.
American English
- He scored fifty-nine points in the game.
- We drove fifty-nine miles to get there.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in reports, statistics, and financial data (e.g., 'Revenue increased by fifty-nine percent').
Academic
Used in quantitative research, page references, and historical dates.
Everyday
Commonly used for age, quantities, prices, and scores.
Technical
Used in mathematics, computing, and any field requiring precise enumeration.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fifty-nine”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fifty-nine”
- Writing as 'fifty nine' without the hyphen.
- Incorrect stress pattern: stressing 'fifty' and 'nine' equally instead of the primary stress on 'nine'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the cardinal numbers twenty-one through ninety-nine are hyphenated when written as words.
The ordinal number is 'fifty-ninth' (59th).
Primary stress is on 'nine', with secondary stress on 'fif' in 'fifty'. /ˌfɪfti ˈnaɪn/
The most common mistake is omitting the hyphen, writing 'fifty nine'. Another is misspelling 'fifty' as 'fivety'.
The cardinal number equivalent to the sum of fifty and nine.
Fifty-nine is usually neutral in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a clock: the minute hand at 59 is just one minute before the top of the hour (60).
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS A POINT ON A SCALE (positioned just before the round number sixty).
Practice
Quiz
How is the number 59 correctly written in words?