ninety-first
High (within numeric contexts)Neutral to Formal
Definition
Meaning
The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 91; coming after the ninetieth in a series.
Used to denote position in a sequence, rank, or a fraction (one ninety-first).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily functions as a determiner or adjective. When used as a noun (e.g., "the ninety-first"), it typically refers to a position, a person/thing in that position, or the fraction 1/91.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Hyphenation is consistent in both varieties.
Connotations
None beyond its numeric meaning.
Frequency
Frequency is identical, tied directly to contextual need for the number.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the ninety-first + noun (e.g., the ninety-first day)be + the + ninety-first + to-infinitive (e.g., He was the ninety-first to arrive)a + ninety-first + noun (e.g., a ninety-first attempt)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports, rankings, or sequencing (e.g., 'the company's ninety-first store').
Academic
Used in historical sequencing, page/chapter references, or statistical rankings.
Everyday
Most common in discussing birthdays, anniversaries, or list positions.
Technical
Used in precise sequencing in fields like computing, engineering, or documentation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- He celebrated his ninety-first birthday quietly at home.
- The team finished in ninety-first place in the league.
American English
- She's writing the ninety-first chapter of her book.
- This is the building's ninety-first annual inspection.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandfather is ninety-one years old. Today is his ninety-first birthday.
- Look at page ninety-first. (Note: Common learner error; corrected: 'Look at page ninety-one.')
- She came in ninety-first in the marathon, but was proud to finish.
- The museum is celebrating its ninety-first anniversary next week.
- The committee's ninety-first session focused entirely on environmental policy reforms.
- Being the ninety-first person to sign the petition, he felt his individual impact was small but part of a larger movement.
- The treaty, now in its ninety-first year of ratification, is considered a cornerstone of international law.
- His ninety-first attempt to replicate the experiment finally yielded the statistically significant result he had been seeking.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'ninety' followed by 'first' – it's the first number after ninety in the ordinal sequence.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSITION/SEQUENCE IS A JOURNEY (e.g., reaching the ninety-first milestone).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct translation 'девяносто первый' is accurate, but note the mandatory hyphen in English.
- Russian may omit the article where English requires it (e.g., 'on his ninety-first birthday').
Common Mistakes
- Writing as two words without a hyphen ('ninety first').
- Incorrectly using cardinal form (e.g., 'ninety-one birthday').
- Mispronouncing as 'ninety-first' without the secondary stress on 'first'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the CORRECT written form?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, always. Compound ordinal numbers from twenty-first to ninety-ninth are hyphenated.
Yes, for example: 'He was the ninety-first to cross the finish line,' or 'One ninety-first of the total.'
'Ninety-one' is a cardinal number (quantity). 'Ninety-first' is an ordinal number (position or sequence).
In both UK and US English, the primary stress is on 'nine-' and a secondary stress on 'first'. The 't' in 'ninety' is often pronounced as a flap [ɾ] in American English.