fifteenth
gb/fɪftˈinθ/ us/fɪftˈinθ/
A1
English
~ 7600
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
relation
1
in the fifteenth position
In the place with the number 15 in a line or list.
Usage pattern:
the fifteenth [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the spelling and use forms like *fifteenth* instead of *fifteenth*, or they use *fifteen* when they need the ordinal *fifteenth* (e.g., saying *the fifteen floor* instead of *the fifteenth floor*).
Synonyms
15th (Written form using digits instead of the spelled-out word.)
Antonyms
fourteenth (Indicates the position immediately before fifteenth in order.)
Collocations
fifteenth floor
|fifteenth birthday
|fifteenth century
|fifteenth anniversary
|fifteenth day
Themes
numbers
|time
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Their office is on the fifteenth floor of the building.
- She is celebrating her fifteenth birthday this weekend.
- The painting dates back to the fifteenth century.
- He lives in the fifteenth house on this street.
- This is the fifteenth question on the test.
Learner examples
- My classroom is on the fifteenth floor.
- Today is my fifteenth lesson in English.
- We visited the city’s fifteenth school.
- She sits in the fifteenth seat in the row.
Noun
A2
entity
2
thing or person in 15th place
The person, thing, or day that is number 15 in order.
Usage pattern:
to finish fifteenth in [competition]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *the fifteen* instead of *the fifteenth* when talking about dates (e.g., *I arrived on the fifteen of June*). Another mistake is using *on fifteenth June* instead of the more natural *on the fifteenth of June* in many dialects of English.
Synonyms
15th place (Makes the idea of position in a ranking explicit, often used in sports or competitions.)
Antonyms
first (Represents the top or starting position, contrasted with the lower position of fifteenth.)
Collocations
finish fifteenth
|come fifteenth
|in fifteenth place
|the fifteenth of May
|payday on the fifteenth
Themes
numbers
|time
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She finished fifteenth in a field of over three hundred runners.
- Our team moved up to fifteenth in the league table.
- Today is the fifteenth, so the rent is due.
- The meeting is on the fifteenth of next month.
- He was the fifteenth to arrive at the party.
Learner examples
- He came fifteenth in the race.
- Today is the fifteenth of June.
- Our class is in room fifteen on the fifteenth floor.
- The bill is paid on the fifteenth every month.
Noun
B1
quantity
3
one fifteenth as a fraction
One part when something is cut into 15 equal parts.
Usage pattern:
a fifteenth of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often avoid using *a fifteenth* and instead say *one over fifteen* or *one divided by fifteen*. While these are understandable, *one fifteenth* or *a fifteenth* is the natural fractional form in everyday English.
Synonyms
one fifteenth (More explicit fractional form, often clearer in speech and writing than the shorter *a fifteenth*.)
Antonyms
the whole (Represents the complete amount, as opposed to just one small fractional part.)
Collocations
a fifteenth of the total
|one fifteenth share
|a fifteenth of the cost
|a fifteenth of the income
Themes
numbers
|math
|finance
|core_vocabulary
|education
Examples
- Only a fifteenth of the budget is spent on training.
- Each investor owns a fifteenth of the company.
- The tax rate increased by a fifteenth this year.
- He donated a fifteenth of his salary to charity.
Learner examples
- We paid a fifteenth of the total price today.
- Each friend took a fifteenth of the cake.
- She spends a fifteenth of her money on books.
Noun
technical
B2
relation
4
two-octave musical interval
In music, a sound or note that is two octaves higher than the written note, often made by a special organ stop.
Usage pattern:
play at the fifteenth [on an organ]
Common mistake:
Learners may think *fifteenth* in this context means the fifteenth note in a scale, but in music it refers to an interval of two octaves or an organ stop at that pitch.
Synonyms
double octave (General musical term for an interval of two octaves; lacks the specific association with organ stops that *fifteenth* has.)
Antonyms
unison (Indicates no pitch distance between notes, contrasting with the wide two-octave distance of a fifteenth.)
Collocations
organ fifteenth
|fifteenth stop
|at the fifteenth
|fifteenth rank
Themes
music
|art
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The organist pulled out the fifteenth to brighten the sound of the hymn.
- In this passage the melody is doubled at the fifteenth above the soprano line.
- Adding the fifteenth stop gives the organ tone extra brilliance.
Learner examples
- The organ has a fifteenth stop for very high notes.
- The melody is played at the fifteenth above the main tune.
- He explained that a fifteenth is two octaves higher.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fifteenth
IPA
GB/fɪftˈinθ/
US/fɪftˈinθ/
Syllables & stress
fif - teenth (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (teenth)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: fifteenth
- Comparative: fifteenther
- Superlative: fifteenthest
Noun
- Base: fifteenth
- Plural: fifteenths
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.