ninety-ninth
B1Neutral to formal
Definition
Meaning
The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 99; occupying position 99 in a sequence.
Used to describe a small, final portion or fraction, often implying near-completion but not the ultimate end.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As an ordinal numeral, it functions almost exclusively as a determiner, adjective, or noun. Its meaning is purely mathematical/sequential; it does not carry inherent positive or negative connotations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both use the hyphenated form for the adjective. Pronunciation differences are minimal and follow general regional patterns.
Connotations
None specific to either variety.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties, following the same frequency patterns as other high ordinal numbers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the + ninety-ninth + nounbe + the + ninety-ninthcome in + ninety-ninthVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “ninety-nine times out of a hundred (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to an item in a long list, e.g., 'the ninety-ninth item on the quarterly report.'
Academic
Used in historical sequencing or statistical rankings, e.g., 'the ninety-ninth percentile.'
Everyday
Most commonly for birthdays and anniversaries, e.g., 'my grandmother's ninety-ninth birthday.'
Technical
In manufacturing or indexing, e.g., 'the ninety-ninth iteration of the software build.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- She celebrated her ninety-ninth birthday with a quiet tea party.
American English
- He finished in ninety-ninth place in the marathon.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Her grandmother is ninety-nine years old. Today is her ninety-ninth birthday.
- This is the ninety-ninth page of the book. There is only one more to go.
- The amendment was the ninety-ninth to be proposed during the lengthy constitutional debate.
- Having placed ninety-ninth in the global rankings, the athlete was determined to break into the top fifty the following season.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'nine' repeated: the 'ninth' after 'ninety' (90). It's 9 less than 100.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORDINAL NUMBERS ARE POSITIONS ON A PATH (e.g., nearing the end of a long journey).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct translation yields 'девяносто девятый/ая/ое', which correctly maps the meaning. No significant trap, but note the required adjective-noun agreement in Russian.
Common Mistakes
- Writing as 'ninty-ninth' (misspelling 'ninety'), 'ninety nine' (omitting hyphen when used as adjective).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'ninety-ninth' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when used as an adjective before a noun (e.g., the ninety-ninth day). It can be written without a hyphen when used as a noun (e.g., He was the ninety ninth). However, the hyphenated form is widely accepted for both uses.
The noun form is also 'ninety-ninth' and refers to one of 99 equal parts, e.g., 'A ninety-ninth of the estate was left to charity.'
Primary stress is often on the first syllable of 'ninety' and on 'ninth': /NAIN-tee NYNTH/. In fluent speech, the first 't' in 'ninety' may become a flap /d/ in American English.
No, 'ninety-ninth' is not used as an adverb. To express manner or sequence, you would use a phrase like 'for the ninety-ninth time'.