Inherited from Middle English fourthe, an alteration (due to four) of ferthe, from Old English fēorþa, fēowerþa, from Proto-West Germanic *feurþō, from Proto-Germanic *fedurþô, equivalent to four +‎ -th (ordinal suffix).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fɔːθ/
• (General American) enPR: fôrth, IPA^(key): /fɔɹθ/
• (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /fo(ː)ɹθ/
• (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /foəθ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)θ
• Homophone: forth

fourth (not comparable)

1. The ordinal form of the number four.
   • 2013 June 29, Leo Montada, “Coping with Life Stress”, in Herman Steensma, Riël Vermunt, editors, Social Justice in Human Relations Volume 2: Societal and Psychological Consequences of Justice and Injustice‎^[1], Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 26:

     The fourth model is called the enlightment model: Actors are seen to be responsible for problems but unable or unwilling to provide solutions. They are believed to need discipline provided by authoritative guidance. The Alcoholic Anonymous^[sic] groups are considered prototypical for this model.

   • 2025 April 2, Ben Morse, “‘Whoop, there she is!’: Jason and Kylie Kelce announce birth of fourth daughter”, in CNN‎^[2]:

     Finnley is the fourth daughter of Jason and Kylie Kelce, having already welcomed Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett to the family.

Abbreviations: 4th, 4^th, IVth, IIIIth; (in names of monarchs and popes, and formal names in English) IV, IV.

fourth (plural fourths)

1. (in the singular) The person or thing in the fourth position.
   • 1978 April 8, “Classified advertisement”, in Gay Community News, page 14:

     We are one F and two M's seeking the company of a fourth (M or F) for our spacious and friendly Somerville apt.

2. (chiefly US) A quarter, one of four equal parts of a whole.

   Synonyms: fourth part, quarter, farthing

3. (in the singular) The fourth gear of an engine.
4. (music) A musical interval which spans four degrees of the diatonic scale, for example C to F (C D E F).
   • 1984, Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah”, in Various Positions:

     Now I've heard there was a secret chord / That David played, and it pleased the Lord / But you don't really care for music, do ya? / It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth

5. (astronomy, rare) One sixtieth of a third or tierce.
   • 1994, John David North, The Fontana History of Astronomy and Cosmology, page xxi:

     […] thirds (sixtieths of seconds), fourths (sixtieths of thirds) and so on, but then it becomes very cumbersome.

• augmented fourth
• diminished fourth
• Fourth of July
• perfect fourth

fourth (third-person singular simple present fourths, present participle fourthing, simple past and past participle fourthed)

1. (informal) To agree with a proposition or statement after it has already been thirded.
   • 1830 March 2, Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates, volume XXII, London, page 1189:

     If he remembered rightly what took place in the House on the first night of the session, the Attorney General would have to file an information, not only against the noble Lord who proposed the address, and the hon. Member for London who seconded it, but also against the hon. Member who thirded, and the noble Lord who fourthed it, and indeed against every Member in the House.

   • 1854 January, “Tregonhorke’s First Trip in a Man-of-War”, in Hunt’s Yachting Magazine, volume the third, London: Hunt and Son,[…]; Simpkin, Marshall, & Co.,[…], page 14:

     A lisping young “Soundings,” or master’s assistant, sung out “I thecond the mothon,” instantly transferring his beer to our hero’s face. In short the resolution was thirded, fourthed, fifthed, and sixthed, all following suit with the swipes:[…]

   • 1892 December 31, Talbot Baines Reed, “Tom, Dick, and Harry. A School Story.”, in The Boy’s Own Paper, volume XV, number 729, page 212, column 2:

     It was then moved, seconded, thirded, fourthed, and fifthed, “that Jarman be, and is hereby hung, and ought to be kicked.”

fourth

1. alternative form of ferthe