| Cardinal | one | two | three | four |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Ordinal | first | second | third | fourth |
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
In linguistics, ordinal numerals or ordinal number words are words representing position or rank in a sequential order; the order may be of size, importance, chronology, and so on (e.g., "third", "tertiary"). They differ from cardinal numerals, which represent quantity (e.g., "three") and other types of numerals.
In traditional grammar, all numerals, including ordinal numerals, are grouped into a separate part of speech (Latin: nomen numerale, hence, "noun numeral" in older English grammar books). However, in modern interpretations of English grammar, ordinal numerals are usually conflated with adjectives.
Ordinal numbers may be written in English with numerals and letter suffixes: 1st, 2nd or 2d, 3rd or 3d, 4th, 11th, 21st, 101st, 477th, etc., with the suffix acting as an ordinal indicator. Written dates often omit the suffix, although it is nevertheless pronounced. For example: 5 November 1605 (pronounced "the fifth of November ... "); November 5, 1605, ("November (the) Fifth ..."). When written out in full with "of", however, the suffix is retained: the 5th of November. In other languages, different ordinal indicators are used to write ordinal numbers.
In American Sign Language, the ordinal numbers first through ninth are formed with handshapes similar to those for the corresponding cardinal numbers with the addition of a small twist of the wrist.
English
In English, the main ordinal series is 'first', 'second', .... It is used in a variety of rankings, including time ('the first hour of the event'), space ('the first left'), and quality ('first class cabin').
The Latinate series 'primary', 'secondary', ... is often used for importance or precedence ('primary consideration') and sequence of dependence ('secondary effect', 'secondary boycott', 'secondary industry'), though there are other uses as well ('primary school', 'primary election'). The first two in the sequence are by far the most common; 'tertiary' appears occasionally, and higher numbers are rare except in specialized contexts ('quaternary period').
The Greek series proto-, deutero-, trito-, ... is only found in prefixes, generally scholarly and technical coinages, e.g. protagonist, deuteragonist, tritagonist; protium, deuterium, tritium; Proto-Isaiah, Deutero-Isaiah. Numbers beyond three are rare; those beyond four are obscure.
The first twelve variations of ordinal numbers are given here.
| Spatial or chronological | Precedence or effect | Greek prefix |
|---|---|---|
| first | primary | proto- |
| second | secondary | deutero- |
| third | tertiary | trito- |
| fourth | quaternary, quartary | tetarto- |
| fifth | quinary | (pempto-) |
| sixth | senary | (ecto-, hecto-) |
| seventh | septenary | (ebdomo-, hebdomo-) |
| eighth | octonary | (ogdo-) |
| ninth | nonary | (enato-) |
| tenth | decenary | (decato-) |
| eleventh | undenary | (endecato-) |
| twelfth | duodenary | (dodecato-) |
The spatial and chronological ordinal numbers corresponding to cardinals from 13 to 19 are the number followed by the suffix -th, as "sixteenth". For multiples of ten, the same principle applies, with terminal -y changed to -ieth, as "sixtieth". For other numbers, the elements of the cardinal number are used, with the last word replaced by the ordinal: 23 → "twenty-third"; 523 → "five hundred twenty-third" (British English: "five hundred and twenty-third").
When speaking the numbers in fractions, the spatial/chronological numbering system is used for denominators larger than 2 (2 as the denominator of a fraction is "half" rather than "second"), with a denominator of 4 sometimes spoken as "quarter" rather than "fourth". This system results in "two thirds" for 2⁄3 and "fifteen thirty-seconds" for 15⁄32. This system is normally used for denominators less than 100 and for many powers of 10. Examples include "six ten-thousandths" for 6⁄10,000 and "three hundredths" for 0.03.
Chinese
In Chinese, ordinal numbers are formed by adding 第 (pinyin: dì, Jyutping: dai6) before the cardinal numbers.
| Cardinal | Ordinal | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 一 | 第一 |
| 2nd | 二 | 第二 |
| 3rd | 三 | 第三 |
| 4th | 四 | 第四 |
| 5th | 五 | 第五 |
| 10th | 十 | 第十 |
| 72nd | 七十二 | 第七十二 |
| 100th | 一百 | 第一百 |
See also
- Distributive number – Word that answers "how many times each?"
- English ordinal numbers – Names of numbers in English
- Multiplier (linguistics) – Word indicating multiples of an object
- Ordinal indicator – Character(s) following an ordinal number (used when writing ordinal numbers, such as a super-script)
- Ordinal number – Generalization of "n-th" to infinite cases (the related, but more formal and abstract, usage in mathematics)
- Ordinal data, in statistics
- Ordinal date – Date written as number of days since first day of year
- Regnal ordinal – Ordinal numbers used to distinguish among persons with the same name who held the same office
References
- ""numbers" ASL American Sign Language". Lifeprint.com. Archived from the original on 2021-11-17. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
- "Ordinal Numbers Revisited". Archived from the original on 2012-04-22. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- N. Cloet (1852). De la restauration du Chant Liturgique. Plancy: Société de Saint-Victor pour la propagation des bons livres. Archived from the original on 2017-06-26. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- "DECENARY | Meaning & Definition for UK English | Lexico.com". Lexico Dictionaries | English (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2015. Archived from the original on 2018-02-12. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
60Cardinal versus ordinal numbers Cardinal one two three four1 2 3 4Ordinal first second third fourth1st 2nd 3rd 4th In linguistics ordinal numerals or ordinal number words are words representing position or rank in a sequential order the order may be of size importance chronology and so on e g third tertiary They differ from cardinal numerals which represent quantity e g three and other types of numerals In traditional grammar all numerals including ordinal numerals are grouped into a separate part of speech Latin nomen numerale hence noun numeral in older English grammar books However in modern interpretations of English grammar ordinal numerals are usually conflated with adjectives Ordinal numbers may be written in English with numerals and letter suffixes 1st 2nd or 2d 3rd or 3d 4th 11th 21st 101st 477th etc with the suffix acting as an ordinal indicator Written dates often omit the suffix although it is nevertheless pronounced For example 5 November 1605 pronounced the fifth of November November 5 1605 November the Fifth When written out in full with of however the suffix is retained the 5th of November In other languages different ordinal indicators are used to write ordinal numbers In American Sign Language the ordinal numbers first through ninth are formed with handshapes similar to those for the corresponding cardinal numbers with the addition of a small twist of the wrist EnglishLook up Appendix English ordinal numbers in Wiktionary the free dictionary In English the main ordinal series is first second It is used in a variety of rankings including time the first hour of the event space the first left and quality first class cabin The Latinate series primary secondary is often used for importance or precedence primary consideration and sequence of dependence secondary effect secondary boycott secondary industry though there are other uses as well primary school primary election The first two in the sequence are by far the most common tertiary appears occasionally and higher numbers are rare except in specialized contexts quaternary period The Greek series proto deutero trito is only found in prefixes generally scholarly and technical coinages e g protagonist deuteragonist tritagonist protium deuterium tritium Proto Isaiah Deutero Isaiah Numbers beyond three are rare those beyond four are obscure The first twelve variations of ordinal numbers are given here Spatial or chronological Precedence or effect Greek prefixfirst primary proto second secondary deutero third tertiary trito fourth quaternary quartary tetarto fifth quinary pempto sixth senary ecto hecto seventh septenary ebdomo hebdomo eighth octonary ogdo ninth nonary enato tenth decenary decato eleventh undenary endecato twelfth duodenary dodecato The spatial and chronological ordinal numbers corresponding to cardinals from 13 to 19 are the number followed by the suffix th as sixteenth For multiples of ten the same principle applies with terminal y changed to ieth as sixtieth For other numbers the elements of the cardinal number are used with the last word replaced by the ordinal 23 twenty third 523 five hundred twenty third British English five hundred and twenty third When speaking the numbers in fractions the spatial chronological numbering system is used for denominators larger than 2 2 as the denominator of a fraction is half rather than second with a denominator of 4 sometimes spoken as quarter rather than fourth This system results in two thirds for 2 3 and fifteen thirty seconds for 15 32 This system is normally used for denominators less than 100 and for many powers of 10 Examples include six ten thousandths for 6 10 000 and three hundredths for 0 03 ChineseIn Chinese ordinal numbers are formed by adding 第 pinyin di Jyutping dai6 before the cardinal numbers Cardinal Ordinal1st 一 第一2nd 二 第二3rd 三 第三4th 四 第四5th 五 第五10th 十 第十72nd 七十二 第七十二100th 一百 第一百See alsoDistributive number Word that answers how many times each Pages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets English ordinal numbers Names of numbers in English Multiplier linguistics Word indicating multiples of an object Ordinal indicator Character s following an ordinal number used when writing ordinal numbers such as a super script Ordinal number Generalization of n th to infinite cases the related but more formal and abstract usage in mathematics Ordinal data in statistics Ordinal date Date written as number of days since first day of year Regnal ordinal Ordinal numbers used to distinguish among persons with the same name who held the same officeReferences numbers ASL American Sign Language Lifeprint com Archived from the original on 2021 11 17 Retrieved 2009 11 03 Ordinal Numbers Revisited Archived from the original on 2012 04 22 Retrieved 2011 11 26 N Cloet 1852 De la restauration du Chant Liturgique Plancy Societe de Saint Victor pour la propagation des bons livres Archived from the original on 2017 06 26 Retrieved 2011 11 26 DECENARY Meaning amp Definition for UK English Lexico com Lexico Dictionaries English 3rd ed Oxford Oxford University Press 2015 Archived from the original on 2018 02 12 Retrieved 2021 12 07
