eighty

noun

ˈā-tē 

plural eighties

1

: a number that is equal to eight times 10 see Table of Numbers

2

eighties plural : the numbers 80 to 89

specifically : the years 80 to 89 in a lifetime or century

eightieth

ˈā-tē-əth 

adjective or noun

eighty adjective

eighty pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of eighty in a Sentence

The temperature rose to the high eighties.

She is in her mid-eighties.

Recent Examples on the Web

The epilogue, set at a Venice Biennale in the eighties, then switches to a touristy video format that drives home a point about the kitschy co-optation of art. —Namwali Serpell, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2025

High temperatures were in the eighties, with more than 80 percent humidity. —Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 14 Feb. 2025

So this [former] struggling actor [Michael Shaw], who’s now in his eighties, has closure to this huge saga in his life as a result of how unexpectedly this all played out. —Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025

During the eighties, a Soviet crew reported possible hallucinations; another crew is thought to have grown depressed enough that its mission was prematurely terminated. —Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English eighty, adjective, from Old English eahtatig, short for hundeahtatig, noun, group of eighty, from hund-, literally, hundred + eahta eight + -tig group of ten; akin to Old English tīen ten

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing eighty

• eighty-six
• ten-eighty

Rhymes for eighty

• kati
• katy
• platy
• slaty
• weighty

Kids Definition

eighty

noun

ˈāt-ē 

plural eighties

: a number that is equal to eight times 10 see number

eightieth

-ē-əth 

adjective or noun

eighty adjective or pronoun