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

Employees were shocked by the unexpected shuttering Tuesday of three Xbox subsidiaries and the absorption of a fourth. —Jason Schreier, Fortune, 9 May 2024

In the fourth, the first violin (bracingly performed by Otto, who otherwise played second violin in the concert) loudly plays one note, then two, which are answered by a pianissimo twenty-note melody in the other three instruments. —Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2024

Serra scored five in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to 8-6, added one in the fourth to make it 8-7 and took the lead for good with four in the fifth. —Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 8 May 2024

In the fourth, Panther City’s Tony Malcolm scored at 12:21 and Staats answered at 10:25. —Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Apr. 2024

In the fourth, the Fighting Knights scored on an error that brought Shelton home from third base. —Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024

The Clippers finished the third quarter with a 66-65 lead and led by as many as six points in the fourth. —Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024

Montero’s mistake opened the door for another Seattle run in the fourth. —Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2024

Phoenix mounted an 8-0 run early in the fourth to tie the game on a 3-pointer by Beal with 9:21 remaining. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 13 Apr. 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