Langimage
English

1930s

|nine/teen/thir/ties|

A2

🇺🇸

/ˌnaɪnˈtiːn ˈθɜr.tiz/

🇬🇧

/ˌnaɪnˈtiːn ˈθɜː.tiz/

the decade 1930–1939

Etymology
Etymology Information

'1930s' originates from the use of Arabic numerals in English, specifically the number '1930' combined with the English plural suffix '-s' to indicate the decade.

Historical Evolution

'1930s' changed from the word form 'the nineteen-thirties' and from the earlier typographic form '1930's' (with an apostrophe), and eventually became the modern numeric plural form '1930s'.

Meaning Changes

Initially expressed as 'the nineteen-thirties' or written as '1930's'; over time the shortened numeric plural '1930s' became the standard written form for the decade.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

the decade from 1930 to 1939 inclusive; the years 1930–1939 as a historical period.

The 1930s were marked by the Great Depression.

Synonyms

Numeral 1

a numeric designation referring to the set of years 1930–1939; often used attributively (e.g., 1930s fashion).

1930s fashion featured wide skirts and tailored suits.

Synonyms

Last updated: 2025/09/23 07:34