seventy-eight: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Informal, Technical (context-dependent)
Quick answer
What does “seventy-eight” mean?
The cardinal number equivalent to the product of seven and ten plus eight (78).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The cardinal number equivalent to the product of seven and ten plus eight (78).
May refer to the specific number, a year (e.g., 1978), a size, a speed (e.g., 78 RPM records), or a score/quantity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference. Potential minor differences in the pronunciation of '-ty' and potential use of 'and' after 'hundred' (e.g., 'one hundred and seventy-eight') being more common in BrE, though both variants are understood.
Connotations
In both, the historical connotation of '78' refers to the obsolete 78 RPM phonograph records.
Frequency
Frequency of use is identical as a numeral. The noun '78' (record) is equally archaic in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “seventy-eight” in a Sentence
NUM + N (seventy-eight people)PREP + NUM (at seventy-eight)V + NUM + N (cost seventy-eight pounds)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “seventy-eight” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- She bought seventy-eight candles for the celebration.
- The project took seventy-eight days to complete.
American English
- The car was traveling seventy-eight miles per hour.
- He answered seventy-eight questions correctly.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in financial reports, statistics, ages, quantities. e.g., 'Revenue increased by seventy-eight percent.'
Academic
Used in data, measurements, historical years, page references. e.g., 'See the analysis on page seventy-eight.'
Everyday
Used for age, price, scores, house numbers. e.g., 'My grandmother is seventy-eight.'
Technical
Historically specific to audio technology (78 RPM). In mathematics, a composite number.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “seventy-eight”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “seventy-eight”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “seventy-eight”
- Hyphenating incorrectly: 'seventy eight' (should be hyphenated as a compound number under one hundred).
- Incorrect pluralization: 'He is seventy-eight years old' (not 'year old').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when written as words, compound numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine are hyphenated.
It refers to a type of gramophone record that spins at 78 revolutions per minute (RPM), common from the early 1900s until the late 1950s.
Minimally. The main difference is the 't' in 'seventy'. In American English, it often sounds more like a soft 'd' (flapped T: /t̬i/), while in British English it is a clear /ti/.
Yes, primarily when referring to the specific object (e.g., a 78 RPM record, the number itself as a concept: 'Seventy-eight is a lucky number for her').
The cardinal number equivalent to the product of seven and ten plus eight (78).
Seventy-eight is usually formal, informal, technical (context-dependent) in register.
Seventy-eight: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsev.ən.ti ˈeɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsev.ən.t̬i ˈeɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On cloud seventy-eight (rare, humorous variation of 'on cloud nine')”
- “A seventy-eight (meaning a 78 RPM record)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'seven' and 'eight' placed together in order, but with 'ty' in the middle to bridge them: sevenTY-eight.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS VERTICALITY (the number is 'high' or 'low'); TIME IS MOTION ('the year 1978 is behind us').
Practice
Quiz
How is the number 78 correctly written in words?