fifty-one
|fif/ty/one|
/ˌfɪf.tiˈwʌn/
50 + 1
Etymology
'fifty-one' originates from Old English elements 'fīftig' (meaning 'fifty') and 'ān' (meaning 'one').
'fīftig' (Old English, literally 'five tens') and 'ān' (Old English 'one') were compounded in Middle English as 'fifty' + 'one' to form the modern compound 'fifty-one'.
Initially it was understood as 'five tens plus one'; over time this straightforward numerical composition has remained essentially the same and now denotes the cardinal number 51.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
describing something that has the quantity or value of 51 (used attributively).
She submitted a fifty-one‑page report.
Numeral 1
the cardinal number equal to fifty plus one; 51.
There are fifty-one students in the class.
Last updated: 2025/08/16 18:21