fourth
Noun pluralfourths
Pluralfourths
Formsfourths, fourthing, fourthed
- 1Coming after third in order or position.
She finished in fourth place at the race.
This is the fourth time I've called him today.
UsageSpelled with a u, like four. Forth, without the u, means forward.
- 2The one that comes after the third in a group or order.
He was the fourth to cross the finish line.
Three guests had arrived, and the fourth knocked at the door.
UsageOften the fourth to do something. A fourth can also mean the person who makes a group of four.
Note
- 3Short for the Fourth of July, the holiday when the US celebrates becoming its own country.
We always go to the lake for the Fourth.
The stores sold out of fireworks the week before the Fourth.
UsageUse a capital F and usually the: on the Fourth. People also say Happy Fourth.
- 4One of four equal parts of something.
Cut the pizza and give me a fourth of it.
She ate a fourth of the cake and saved the rest.
UsageSay a fourth of something. A quarter means the same thing.
Similarquarter
Less common meanings
- 5A vehicle's gear that comes after third, usually used for higher speeds.
Shift into fourth once you reach the highway.
The car runs smoothly in fourth on the open road.
UsageSay in fourth or shift into fourth.
- 6In music, the distance from one note to the fourth note of the scale, counting the first, like C to F.
Like counting four steps up a set of stairs, but each step is a musical note.
The two notes are a fourth apart on the piano.
She sang a fourth above the melody.
UsageNotes are a fourth apart, or one is a fourth above another.
Note
- 7To be the fourth person to agree with an idea, after three others already have.
Like being the fourth person to raise your hand for the same idea.
I fourth that idea, so let's order pizza tonight.
After three of them agreed, she chimed in to fourth the plan.
UsageA joke: after people say I second that and I third that, the next person can say I fourth that.
Oppositeoppose
Note
- 8A tiny unit of time or angle equal to one sixtieth of a third.
Note
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
It comes from Old English fēorþa, built from 'four' plus the ending '-th' used for order words.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- Fourth comes from Old English fēorþa. en.wiktionary.org
- The formation combines 'four' with the ordinal ending '-th'. en.wiktionary.org