n. & adj.
--n. (pl. -ies)
1. the product of five and ten.
2 a symbol for this (50, l, L).
3 (in pl.) the numbers from 50 to 59, esp. the years of a century or of a person's life.
4 a set of fifty persons or things.
5 a large indefinite number (have fifty things to tell you).
--adj. that amount to fifty.
Phrases and idioms:
fifty-fifty adj. equal, with equal shares or chances (on a fifty-fifty basis).
--adv. equally, half and half (go fifty-fifty). fifty-first, -second , etc. the ordinal numbers between fiftieth and sixtieth. fifty-one, -two , etc. the cardinal numbers between fifty and sixty.
Derivatives:
fiftieth adj. & n. fiftyfold adj. & adv.
Etymology: OE fiftig (as FIVE, -TY(2))