five-and-ten: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, dated
Quick answer
What does “five-and-ten” mean?
A store selling inexpensive goods, originally priced at five or ten cents.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A store selling inexpensive goods, originally priced at five or ten cents.
A variety store or discount store; a retail establishment offering a wide range of low-cost items, often including household goods, toys, and basic necessities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American in origin and historical usage. In British English, the equivalent historical concept would be a 'Woolworths' (referring to the specific chain) or a 'variety store', but 'five-and-ten' is not a native British term.
Connotations
In American English, it connotes nostalgia, mid-20th century Americana, and simplicity. In British English, if used, it would be recognized as an Americanism.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary use in both dialects, but has a slightly higher recognition factor in American English due to its cultural history.
Grammar
How to Use “five-and-ten” in a Sentence
[go to] the five-and-ten[work at] a five-and-ten[buy something from] the five-and-tenVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “five-and-ten” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The five-and-ten era has long passed.
American English
- She had a classic five-and-ten store upbringing.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used historically in retail and business contexts to describe a type of low-margin, high-volume retail model.
Academic
Appears in historical, sociological, or cultural studies texts discussing 20th-century American consumerism.
Everyday
Virtually obsolete in modern everyday speech; used by older generations or in nostalgic conversation.
Technical
Not a technical term in any modern field.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “five-and-ten”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “five-and-ten”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “five-and-ten”
- Using it to refer to any modern cheap store like a 'dollar store' is anachronistic.
- Using it as a plural ('five-and-tens') is less common than the singular form to refer to the concept.
- Misspelling as 'five-and-dime', which is a closely related but distinct variant.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic term. You might hear it in historical contexts or from older speakers, but modern equivalents are 'dollar store' or 'discount store'.
They are essentially synonymous, both referring to low-cost variety stores. 'Five-and-dime' is perhaps slightly more common in certain regions or later usage, but the meaning is identical.
It would be understood as an Americanism, but it does not refer to any specific British institution. Using 'variety store' or referencing 'Woolworths' (the now-defunct chain) would be more appropriate for a British context.
It is hyphenated because it functions as a compound noun or adjective where the elements 'five', 'and', and 'ten' combine to create a single concept (the store type). This is standard for such fixed phrases.
A store selling inexpensive goods, originally priced at five or ten cents.
Five-and-ten is usually informal, dated in register.
Five-and-ten: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfaɪv ən ˈten/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfaɪv ən ˈten/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable for this lexical item.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the prices: FIVE cents AND TEN cents. It's a store defined by its cheap prices.
Conceptual Metaphor
AFFORDABILITY IS LOW NUMBERS (The store is named for the low price points of its core items).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary modern synonym for 'five-and-ten'?