numeral / noun
forty
FOR-tee/fˈɔrti/
The number made by four groups of ten.
Forty pebbles form four separate rows of ten.
Etymology
The pieces express “four groups of ten.” The ending counts tens, making the structure a direct expression of the number's value.
In context
ten sixth times twenty four over one equals forty over one or forty
More examples
- My aunt turns forty today.
- The speed limit here is forty miles per hour.
- The temperature drops into the forties at night.
Forms
forty · forties
fortieth adjective — Occupying position forty in a sequence.