sixty-second: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “sixty-second” mean?
The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 62.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 62.
Can refer to the 62nd item in a sequence, or a unit of time equal to 1/60th of a second (when used with a hyphen).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The only minor variation is in music: a 'hemidemisemiquaver' (UK) is a 'sixty-fourth note' (US). A 'sixty-second note' is a 'hemidemisemiquaver' in the UK system, but this term is extremely rare in general use.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally uncommon in everyday speech in both regions, used primarily in specific contexts like lists, rankings, or technical fields (music, photography).
Grammar
How to Use “sixty-second” in a Sentence
the sixty-second [noun][noun] number sixty-twoa sixty-second [duration noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sixty-second” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- She won the sixty-second annual regatta.
- The composer used a rare hemidemisemiquaver, or sixty-second note.
American English
- He lives on the sixty-second floor.
- The camera has a shutter speed of one sixty-second of a second.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in formal reports or lists, e.g., 'Our company ranked sixty-second in the global index.'
Academic
Used in historical sequencing or statistical data, e.g., 'The sixty-second element in the periodic table is Samarium.'
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used in games, sports rankings, or birthdays, e.g., 'He just celebrated his sixty-second birthday.'
Technical
Specific meaning in music (a very short note) and photography/shutter speeds (1/62 sec).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sixty-second”
- Writing 'sixty second' without a hyphen when it functions as a compound adjective (e.g., 'a sixty second interval' is incorrect; correct: 'a sixty-second interval').
- Confusing it with the time measurement 'sixty seconds' (which is one minute).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is hyphenated when used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., a sixty-second delay). It is not hyphenated when used predicatively (e.g., He was sixty second in line) or simply as a noun (e.g., Let's discuss the sixty-second).
'Sixty second' (usually hyphenated as an adjective) refers to the ordinal number 62nd. 'Sixty seconds' is a noun phrase meaning a period of one minute.
You pronounce the written abbreviation '62nd' as 'sixty-second'.
No, it is extremely rare. It is a note with the time value of 1/64 of a semibreve (whole note). You are far more likely to encounter half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes in most music.
The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number 62.
Sixty-second is usually formal, technical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in a sixty-second (meaning: in a very brief moment, though not a fixed idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a clock: 'Sixty' seconds make a minute, and 'second' is the word for the unit. So 'sixty-second' is like a 'minute-second'—the 62nd one.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSITION AS A POINT ON A PATH (The sixty-second step on the journey). MINUTENESS (A sixty-second note is metaphorically a very small slice of time/music).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'sixty-second' most likely to be hyphenated?