Definition

A term used to describe the position of something that is number 40 in a sequence or series.

Example

She celebrated her fortieth birthday with a big party.

Conversation

Are you excited about the fortieth anniversary party this weekend?

Definitely! It's a big milestone for our parents.

I can't believe they've been together for that long.

I know! We should plan something special for them.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Fortieth is formed from "forty" (from Old English "feowertig", meaning four times ten) and the suffix "-eth" (used to form ordinal numbers). The word "fortieth" refers to the ordinal form of forty, indicating the position in a sequence as the 40th item.

Memory Tip

Think of 'forty' as four times ten, and remember that 'fortieth' means the 40th position in a sequence.

Visually Confused Words