fourth

noun

ˈfȯrth 

plural fourths ˈfȯr(th)s 

1

: one that is number four in a series

I was the fourth to arrive.

They arrive on the fourth. [=the fourth day of the month]

see Table of Numbers

2

: one of four equal parts of something : quarter entry 1

Cut the cake into fourths.

a fourth of the population

3

a

: a musical interval (see interval sense 2) embracing four tones of the diatonic scale

b

: a tone at this interval

specifically : subdominant sense 1

c

: the harmonic combination of two tones a fourth apart

4

: the fourth forward gear or speed of a motor vehicle

shifted into fourth

5

the Fourth : July 4 observed as a legal holiday in the U.S. in commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 : Fourth of July

watched fireworks on the Fourth

called also Independence Day

fourth adjective or adverb

the fourth edition of a book

the fourth tallest mountain

fourthly adverb

Fourthly, don't sing a whole opera through …

—Mark Twain

Examples of fourth in a Sentence

cut the cake into fourths

She drank a fourth of the bottle.

Recent Examples on the Web

An inning later, Arias smacked a two-run double to put Cleveland up 3-2 before his dribbler spelled further havoc in the fourth. —Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2024

Gavin Lux walked with one out in the fourth, took third on a Miguel Vargas single to left, giving the reserve outfielder hits in each of his last nine starts, and scored on Ohtani’s RBI single to right for a 4-3 lead. —Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024

In the fourth, the Heat as a team went 2 for 7 from the free-throw line. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 June 2024

Back-to-back singles from Young and Abrams, followed by Thomas’s double, brought two more Nationals home before Rosario’s sacrifice fly scored Thomas for a 9-1 lead in the fourth. —Spencer Nusbaum, Washington Post, 22 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

see four

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing fourth

• a poor second/third/fourth
• fourth dimension
• fourth estate
• fourth trimester
• fourth wall
• fourth world
• sixty-fourth note
• sixty-fourth rest

Kids Definition

fourth

noun

ˈfō(ə)rth 

ˈfȯ(ə)rth

1

: one that is number four in a series see number

2

: the difference in pitch between the first tone and the fourth tone of a scale

fourth adjective or adverb

fourthly adverb