sixty-four: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1Neutral
Quick answer
What does “sixty-four” mean?
The cardinal number that is the product of eight and eight.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The cardinal number that is the product of eight and eight; equivalent to six tens plus four units; 64.
Often used symbolically to denote a specific, relatively large quantity, a precise midpoint (e.g., in chessboard squares), or in computing contexts (e.g., 64-bit architecture).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in the numeral itself. Pronunciation differences are minimal and follow general UK/US vowel and rhoticity patterns. The idiom 'the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question' (US) is historically more common than 'the sixty-four-thousand-pound question' (UK).
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “sixty-four” in a Sentence
[DETERMINER] + sixty-four + [COUNT NOUN PLURAL] (e.g., sixty-four people)[BE/HAVE] + sixty-four (e.g., He is sixty-four)[NUMBER] + and + sixty-four (e.g., one hundred and sixty-four)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sixty-four” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- A sixty-four-bit system
- The sixty-four-page report
American English
- A sixty-four-bit processor
- The sixty-four-ounce soda
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in reports for quantities, ages, percentages, or financial figures (e.g., 'The index closed up sixty-four points').
Academic
Used in mathematics, history (dates, quantities), and scientific data (e.g., 'The sample contained sixty-four specimens').
Everyday
Used for stating age, quantity, time (rarely), score in games, or house numbers (e.g., 'I need sixty-four candles for the cake').
Technical
Central in computing (64-bit processors, 64 KB memory). Also in chess (number of squares), music (64th note), and photography (ISO settings).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sixty-four”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sixty-four”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sixty-four”
- Writing as two separate words 'sixty four' (incorrect; requires a hyphen for numbers 21-99).
- Mispronouncing as /sɪks.ti/ instead of /sɪk.sti/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. For compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine, a hyphen is standard in English (e.g., sixty-four, eighty-eight).
It comes from a 1950s American TV quiz show, 'The $64,000 Question'. It idiomatically means a very important or crucial question.
It is pronounced /ti/ (like 'tea'), not /taɪ/. The correct pronunciation is /ˈsɪk.sti/.
Yes. For example: 'Sixty-four is a perfect square' or 'She drew a sixty-four in the lottery'.
The cardinal number that is the product of eight and eight.
Sixty-four is usually neutral in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question (the most important or difficult question)”
- “on cloud sixty-four (a variation of 'on cloud nine', implying extreme happiness)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chessboard (8x8) – it has exactly sixty-four squares. Think: 'Six tea (sounds like 'sixty') for (sounds like 'four') eight people on eight rows' -> 8x8 = 64.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS SIZE / PRECISION: 'Sixty-four' represents a concept of a complete, structured set (like a chessboard) or a high level of technical precision (64-bit).
Practice
Quiz
In computing, what does '64-bit' primarily refer to?