fifty-seven: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighNeutral (used across all registers)
Quick answer
What does “fifty-seven” mean?
The cardinal number that is seven more than fifty.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The cardinal number that is seven more than fifty; represented by the Arabic numeral 57.
Used to indicate quantity, order (57th), or as a specific identifier (e.g., a bus route, a model number).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the hyphenated compound form for numbers 21-99.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “fifty-seven” in a Sentence
[BE] fifty-seven (noun plural)[HAVE] fifty-seven (noun plural)[number] fifty-seven (singular noun)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fifty-seven” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- "He was fifty-sieved out of the tournament." (Informal, rare, from cricket score of 57).
American English
- "The quarterback fifty-sixed the play." (No common verb use for 'fifty-seven'; this example is fabricated to show a potential pattern, but 'fifty-seven' as a verb is exceptionally rare).
adverb
British English
- (Not used as a standard adverb).
American English
- (Not used as a standard adverb).
adjective
British English
- A fifty-seven-year-old whisky.
- The famous fifty-seven varieties slogan.
American English
- A fifty-seven-car pileup on the interstate.
- He bought a '57 Chevy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The project came in fifty-seven thousand under budget."
Academic
"The sample size was fifty-seven participants."
Everyday
"I need fifty-seven pence for the parking meter."
Technical
"The error code fifty-seven indicates a connection timeout."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fifty-seven”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fifty-seven”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fifty-seven”
- Writing as 'fifty seven' without the hyphen (less common but not strictly incorrect in all style guides).
- Incorrect stress: pronouncing it as 'FIFTY seven' instead of the more common 'fifty SEVEN' for the compound.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in standard English, numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine are hyphenated when written out.
Yes, it functions primarily as a noun (e.g., 'Fifty-seven is a prime number') or as a determiner/adjective (e.g., 'fifty-seven people').
Yes, the H.J. Heinz Company used '57 Varieties' as its famous advertising slogan, despite having more products, because Henry Heinz liked the number.
Primary stress is typically on 'seven' (/ˌfɪf.ti ˈsev.ən/), with secondary stress on the first syllable of 'fifty'.
The cardinal number that is seven more than fifty.
Fifty-seven is usually neutral (used across all registers) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fifty-seven varieties (historical reference to H.J. Heinz Company's slogan)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'fist' (sounds like 'fif-') hitting a 'TV' (sounds like 'ty') and breaking it into 'seven' pieces.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS A POINT ON A SCALE (a specific, precise point between fifty and sixty).
Practice
Quiz
Which is the standard written form for the number between fifty-six and fifty-eight?