Is 'forty-fourth' hyphenated?

Yes, it is standard to hyphenate ordinal numbers from twenty-first to ninety-ninth when they are used as compound adjectives before a noun (e.g., the forty-fourth president). When used predicatively (e.g., He was forty-fourth), the hyphen is often omitted.

What is the correct pronunciation of the 'th' in 'fourth'?

It is the voiceless dental fricative /θ/, as in 'think' or 'bath'. Be careful not to pronounce it as /f/ or /t/.

Can 'forty-fourth' be used as a noun?

Yes. It can refer to the person or item in that position (e.g., 'The forty-fourth to arrive was late') or to the fraction 1/44 (e.g., 'I only need a forty-fourth of that amount').

Is there a difference between 'forty-four' and 'forty-fourth'?

Yes. 'Forty-four' is a cardinal number (44), used for counting. 'Forty-fourth' is an ordinal number (44th), used for ranking or ordering (e.g., position, sequence, fractions).

Is “forty-fourth” formal?

Forty-fourth is usually formal, neutral in register.

How do you pronounce “forty-fourth”?

Forty-fourth: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfɔːti ˈfɔːθ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfɔːrti ˈfɔːrθ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

forty-fourth: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

UK/ˌfɔːti ˈfɔːθ/US/ˌfɔːrti ˈfɔːrθ/

formal, neutral

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “forty-fourth” mean?

the ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 44.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

the ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 44; coming immediately after the forty-third in position or order.

Can denote a fraction (1/44), a position in a sequence (e.g., a person or item numbered 44), or a recurring interval (e.g., every forty-fourth day). In proper nouns, it refers specifically to the 44th item in a known series (e.g., the Forty-Fourth Dynasty, the Forty-Fourth Amendment).

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling of the cardinal part 'forty' is consistent (not 'fourty'). Potential minor differences in phrasing for dates (e.g., 'the forty-fourth of July' is never used in US context for Independence Day, which is 'the Fourth of July').

Connotations

Neutral in both variants. In historical/political contexts, specific 'Forty-fourth' referents differ by country (e.g., a US president vs. a British regiment).

Frequency

Frequency is context-dependent (e.g., lists, rankings, fractions) and roughly equal in both varieties.

Grammar

How to Use “forty-fourth” in a Sentence

the + forty-fourth + nouna + forty-fourth + of + nounbe + the + forty-fourthordinal + in + sequence

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

Presidentamendmentbirthdayanniversaryeditionfloor

medium

attemptsessionchaptercontestantday

weak

personitemtimeinstanceversion

Examples

Examples of “forty-fourth” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

He celebrated his forty-fourth birthday with a quiet dinner.
The manuscript is from the forty-fourth century BCE.

American English

She finished in forty-fourth place in the marathon.
The forty-fourth amendment addressed campaign finance.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Referring to quarterly reports (e.g., 'our forty-fourth consecutive quarter of growth'), anniversary years.

Academic

Denoting positions in ranked lists, fractions in statistics, historical periods (e.g., 'the forty-fourth Congress').

Everyday

Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, floor numbers in buildings, positions in queues or competitions.

Technical

Precise sequencing in manufacturing, software versioning, scientific measurement intervals.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “forty-fourth”

Neutral

44th

Weak

next after forty-thirdpenultimate in a series of forty-five

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “forty-fourth”

first last forty-third forty-fifth

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “forty-fourth”

Misspelling as 'fourty-fourth'. Omitting the hyphen when used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., 'the forty fourth edition' is less standard than 'the forty-fourth edition'). Incorrect pronunciation of the '-th' cluster in 'fourth'.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes, it is standard to hyphenate ordinal numbers from twenty-first to ninety-ninth when they are used as compound adjectives before a noun (e.g., the forty-fourth president). When used predicatively (e.g., He was forty-fourth), the hyphen is often omitted.
: It is the voiceless dental fricative /θ/, as in 'think' or 'bath'. Be careful not to pronounce it as /f/ or /t/.
: Yes. It can refer to the person or item in that position (e.g., 'The forty-fourth to arrive was late') or to the fraction 1/44 (e.g., 'I only need a forty-fourth of that amount').
: Yes. 'Forty-four' is a cardinal number (44), used for counting. 'Forty-fourth' is an ordinal number (44th), used for ranking or ordering (e.g., position, sequence, fractions).
: the ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 44.
: Forty-fourth is usually formal, neutral in register.
: Forty-fourth: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfɔːti ˈfɔːθ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfɔːrti ˈfɔːrθ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“the forty-fourth floor (implies a very high level)”
“a forty-fourth chance (implies a very remote or repeated opportunity)”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of 'four' twice (four-ty) and then add 'fourth' – it's the number four heavily featured in sequence.

Conceptual Metaphor

POSITION AS A POINT ON A LINE; A FRACTION AS A PIECE OF A WHOLE.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

After forty-three attempts, she finally succeeded on her try.

Multiple Choice

In the phrase 'a forty-fourth of the pie', what does 'forty-fourth' function as?