fifth

fifth
fifth c.1200, fift, from O.E. fifta, from fif "five" (see FIVE (Cf. five)) + -ta (see -TH (Cf. -th)). Altered 14c. by influence of fourth. Cf. O.Fris. fifta, O.S. fifto, O.N. fimmti, Du. vijfde, O.H.G. fimfto, Ger. fünfte, Goth. fimfta. Meaning "fifth part of a gallon of liquor" is first recorded 1938, Amer.Eng. Fifth Avenue (in New York City) has been used figuratively for "elegance, taste" since at least 1858. Fifth wheel "superfluous person or thing" first attested 1902. Fifth-monarchy-man, 17c. for “anrachist zealot,” is a reference to Dan. ii.44.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • fifth — /fifth/ or, often, /fith/, adj. 1. next after the fourth; being the ordinal number for five. 2. being one of five equal parts. 3. Auto. of, pertaining to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which the drive shaft speed is greater than… …   Universalium

  • fifth — [fifth] adj. [ME fifte < OE fifta < fif, FIVE] 1. preceded by four others in a series; 5th 2. designating any of the five equal parts of something n. 1. the one following the fourth 2. any of the five equal parts of something; 1/ 5 …   English World dictionary

  • fifth — ► ORDINAL NUMBER 1) constituting number five in a sequence; 5th. 2) (a fifth/one fifth) each of five equal parts into which something is or may be divided. 3) Music an interval spanning five consecutive notes in a diatonic scale, in particular… …   English terms dictionary

  • Fifth — Fifth, a. [OE. fifte, fifthe, AS. f[=i]fta. See {Five}.] 1. Next in order after the fourth; the ordinal of five. [1913 Webster] 2. Consisting of one of five equal divisions of a thing. [1913 Webster] {Fifth monarchy men} (Hist.), a fanatical sect …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Fifth — Fifth, n. 1. The quotient of a unit divided by five; one of five equal parts; a fifth part. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mus.) The interval of three tones and a semitone, embracing five diatonic degrees of the scale; the dominant of any key. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fifth — fifth; fifth·ly; …   English syllables

  • fifth|ly — «FIHFTH lee», adverb. in the fifth place …   Useful english dictionary

  • Fifth C — Infobox Company company name = Fifth C company type = Incorporated company foundation = 2001 location = Bangalore, Singapore, London revenue = Confidential industry = Analytics, Business Intelligence, Knowledge Process Outsourcing products =… …   Wikipedia

  • fifth — n. & adj. n. 1 the position in a sequence corresponding to that of the number 5 in the sequence 1 5. 2 something occupying this position. 3 the fifth person etc. in a race or competition. 4 any of five equal parts of a thing. 5 Mus. a an interval …   Useful english dictionary

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