twentieth
HighNeutral
Definition
Meaning
The ordinal number corresponding to twenty; 20th in a sequence.
Can refer to one of twenty equal parts (a fraction), a position in a series, or the twentieth item in a set.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Used in dates, centuries, rankings, and fractions. Often hyphenated in compound adjectives like 'twentieth-century'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage; spelling is identical.
Connotations
Same in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in British and American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Typically used before a noun (e.g., 'twentieth century') or after 'the' as a noun (e.g., 'the twentieth of May').Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “twentieth century (as a compound noun referring to the 1900s)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports for fiscal years or rankings, e.g., 'twentieth quarterly report'.
Academic
Common in historical contexts, e.g., 'twentieth-century literature'.
Everyday
In dates and ages, e.g., 'Her twentieth birthday'.
Technical
In mathematics for fractions or sequences, e.g., 'one-twentieth of a unit'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- He ranked twentieth in the national chess tournament.
American English
- She finished twentieth overall in the marathon.
adjective
British English
- The twentieth of December is a public holiday in the UK.
American English
- The twentieth amendment to the US Constitution was ratified in 1933.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Today is the twentieth of May.
- She is twenty years old, so it's her twentieth birthday.
- The twentieth century was a time of rapid technological advancement.
- He finished in twentieth position in the marathon.
- One-twentieth of the population was affected by the new policy.
- The twentieth edition of the dictionary includes updated entries.
- Her research focuses on the socio-economic shifts during the late twentieth century.
- The probability of such an event occurring is less than one twentieth.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'twenty' plus 'th' to form the ordinal, similar to 'fourth' from 'four'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SEQUENCE IS A LINE, where 'twentieth' represents a specific point on that line.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Pronunciation of the 'th' sound, which is absent in Russian.
- Spelling: 'twentieth' vs. 'двадцатый' might cause confusion in written form.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'twentith' or 'twenteeth'.
- Incorrect omission of 'the' when used as a noun, e.g., saying 'on twentieth' instead of 'on the twentieth'.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'twentieth' primarily refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In American English, it is typically pronounced /ˈtwɛntiəθ/.
Yes, for example, in phrases like 'the twentieth of the month' or 'she came in twentieth'.
'Twenty' is a cardinal number meaning 20, while 'twentieth' is the ordinal number meaning 20th.
Yes, especially in contexts involving dates, ages, rankings, and historical periods like the twentieth century.