Seventies
|sev-en-ties|
/ˈsɛv(ə)ntiz/
(seventy)
seven tens
Etymology
'Seventies' ultimately comes from the adjective 'seventy' in English, which denotes the number 70; 'seventy' derives from Old English 'seofontig', formed from 'seofon' meaning 'seven' and a suffix 'tig' meaning 'ten'.
'Seofontig' (Old English) evolved into Middle English forms such as 'seventy' and later produced the plural/collective form 'seventies' to refer both to the number's multiples and to the decade/age group.
Originally it referred simply to the number seventy; over time it came to be used also for the decade 1970–1979 and for the age group of people aged 70–79.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the decade from 1970 to 1979; the cultural styles, events, and trends of that period.
Seventies fashion included bell-bottoms and platform shoes.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/23 12:09