fourth
gb/fˈɔɹθ/ us/fˈɔɹθ/
A1
English
~ 3100
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
relation
1
Number four in a sequence
In the place or position that comes after third.
Usage pattern:
the fourth [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'fourth' with 'forth', which means 'forward'.
Synonyms
4th (Numerical form of the word 'fourth')
Antonyms
third (One position earlier in order)
|
fifth (One position later in order)
Collocations
fourth place
|fourth floor
|fourth chapter
|fourth grade
Themes
numbers
|ordering
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|time
Examples
- She finished in fourth place in the race.
- His office is on the fourth floor.
- This is the fourth time I've called you today.
- The meeting will be held on the fourth of July.
Learner examples
- I live on the fourth floor.
- He came fourth in the race.
- This is my fourth book.
- Today is the fourth day of the month.
Noun
A2
quantity
2
One quarter of something
One part of something that is divided into four equal parts.
Usage pattern:
a fourth of [something]
Common mistake:
Some learners may incorrectly use 'forth' instead of 'fourth', or confuse 'fourth' with 'quarter'.
Synonyms
quarter (More common in everyday speech to mean one-fourth)
Antonyms
whole (The complete thing, not divided)
Collocations
a fourth of the pie
|one-fourth share
|cut into fourths
Themes
math
|fractions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She ate a fourth of the cake.
- A fourth of the students were absent.
- Cut the sandwich into fourths.
Learner examples
- I drank a fourth of the milk.
- A fourth of the class is sick.
- Cut the pizza into fourths.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
3
Musical interval of four notes
In music, the distance from one note to another that is four steps higher or lower in a scale.
Synonyms
perfect fourth (Specific term for a consonant interval spanning four diatonic degrees)
Antonyms
fifth (Interval spanning five diatonic degrees)
Collocations
perfect fourth
|play a fourth
|interval of a fourth
Themes
music
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The melody jumps up a perfect fourth.
- A perfect fourth is common in folk music.
- She practiced singing the interval of a fourth.
Learner examples
- I learned about the musical fourth.
- We sang a perfect fourth in class.
- He played a fourth on the guitar.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fourth
IPA
GB/fˈɔɹθ/
US/fˈɔɹθ/
Syllables & stress
fourth (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fourth)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fourth
- Plural: fourths
Word family
Expressions
every fourth [something]
1/ˈɛvɹi fˈɔɹθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Happening once every four items or times
Happening one time after three other times or things have passed.
Examples
- We meet every fourth Friday for dinner.
- The bell rings every fourth minute during the test.
the Fourth of July
1/ðə fˈɔɹθ əv d͡ʒəlˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
U.S. Independence Day holiday
The national holiday in the U.S. celebrated on July 4th to mark independence from Britain.
Examples
- Many Americans watch fireworks on the Fourth of July.
- We usually have a barbecue on the Fourth of July.