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Synonyms

fourth

American  
[fawrth, fohrth] / fɔrθ, foʊrθ /

adjective

  1. next after the third; being the ordinal number for four.

  2. being one of four equal parts.

  3. Automotive. of, relating to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which the drive shaft speed is greater than that of third gear for a given engine crankshaft speed, but not so great as that of fifth gear, if such exists.

    fourth gear.

noun

  1. a fourth part, especially of one (¼).

  2. the fourth member of a series.

  3. Music.

    1. a tone on the fourth degree from a given tone (counted as the first).

    2. the interval between such tones.

    3. the harmonic combination of such tones.

  4. Automotive. fourth gear.

    She downshifted from fifth to fourth as we started up the hill.

  5. the Fourth. Independence Day; the Fourth of July.

adverb

  1. in the fourth place; fourthly.

fourth British  
/ fɔːθ /

adjective

    1. coming after the third in order, position, time, etc. Often written: 4th

    2. ( as noun )

      the fourth in succession

  2. denoting the fourth forward ratio of a gearbox in motor vehicles

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. music

    1. the interval between one note and another four notes away from it counting inclusively along the diatonic scale

    2. one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the other See also perfect interval diminished

  2. the fourth forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle

    he changed into fourth as soon as he had passed me

  3. a less common word for quarter

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. after the third person, position, event, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

  1. as the fourth point: linking what follows with the previous statements, as in a speech or argument

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fourth

First recorded before 950; Middle English fourthe, Old English fēowertha; four, -th 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Iran's group matches in what would be their fourth consecutive World Cup are against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, then Egypt in Seattle.

From BBC

Utah coach Will Hardy then pulled the Jazz’s two best players off the court for the entire fourth quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal

I came in fourth, around 10 minutes behind the leader.

From The Wall Street Journal

His fourth try came after a Joe Burgess consolation for the Robins 15 minutes from time - then a late Cooper Jenkins double sealed a resounding victory for Leeds.

From BBC

We're getting to the third or fourth generation of people who see very few stars - if any, she explains.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.