FIFTH


Meaning of FIFTH in English

n.

Pronunciation: ' fith, ' fif(t)th, ' fift

Function: noun

Inflected Form: plural fifths \ ' fiths, ' fif(t)ths, ' fif(t)s \

Etymology: Middle English fifte, fifthe, from Old English f ī fta, from f ī f five

Date: before 12th century

1 ― see NUMBER table

2 a : the musical interval embracing five diatonic degrees b : a tone at this interval specifically : DOMINANT 1 c : the harmonic combination of two tones at this interval

3 : a unit of measure for liquor equal to one fifth of a U.S. gallon (0.757 liter)

4 capitalized : the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution also : the right accorded by the Fifth Amendment to refuse to testify against oneself ― usually used in the phrase take the Fifth

– fifth adjective or adverb

– fifth · ly adverb

Merriam Webster Collegiate English Dictionary.      Merriam Webster - Энциклопедический словарь английского языка.