tenth: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1-A2Neutral to formal; common in all registers when referring to ordinal numbers.
Quick answer
What does “tenth” mean?
The position, ordinal number, or fraction that follows ninth.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The position, ordinal number, or fraction that follows ninth.
A musical interval spanning ten diatonic scale degrees; (historical) a tithe; an informal unit of measure, often one tenth of something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. Spelling of related words (e.g., 'tithe' vs. archaic use of 'tenth'). Pronunciation differs slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
Identical core connotations.
Frequency
Equally frequent and essential in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “tenth” in a Sentence
[be] + the + tenth + to + INFINITIVE[take] + tenth + place[a] + tenth + of + [NP]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tenth” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Obsolete/archaic) To levy or pay a tithe (a tenth).
American English
- (Rare/obsolete) To decimate (take a tenth).
adverb
British English
- She finished tenth in the London marathon.
American English
- He placed tenth overall in the competition.
adjective
British English
- This is the tenth revision of the document.
- Her tenth birthday is next week.
American English
- He scored in the tenth inning.
- We live on the tenth floor.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in rankings, market share ('holds a tenth of the market'), and fractional reporting.
Academic
Common in mathematics (fractions, decimals), history (centuries, reigns), and literature (editions).
Everyday
Dates ('the tenth of May'), positions in queues/races, fractions of items.
Technical
Precise measurement ('to the nearest tenth of a second'), musical intervals (major/minor tenth).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tenth”
- Pronouncing /tɛnθ/ as /tɛnt/ or /tɛnð/; writing '10th' as '10st' or '10rd'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The IPA transcription is the same (/tɛnθ/), but the actual realisation of the final consonant cluster /nθ/ can differ slightly in articulation and connected speech.
As an ordinal numeral, you write it as '10th' or 'tenth'. As a fraction, it is '1/10' or 'one-tenth'.
In modern English, it is extremely rare as a verb. Historically, it meant 'to tax a tenth' or 'to pay a tenth' (tithe). This usage is now obsolete.
'Ten' is a cardinal number (10). 'Tenth' is the corresponding ordinal number (10th) or the fraction (1/10). 'Ten' answers 'how many?'; 'tenth' answers 'in what position?' or 'what fraction?'
The position, ordinal number, or fraction that follows ninth.
Tenth is usually neutral to formal; common in all registers when referring to ordinal numbers. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The tenth man (principle in decision-making)”
- “Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'ten' plus a lisping '-th' sound. A 'tent' with an 'h' inside is the tenth tent.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSITION AS A POINT ON A PATH (She is tenth in line), PART-WHOLE (A tenth of the pie).
Practice
Quiz
In the phrase 'a tenth of a second', what part of speech is 'tenth'?