fifteenth
fifteenth — adjective
1. coming or happening after the fourteenth in a numbered sequence — for example, t
coming or happening after the fourteenth in a numbered sequence — for example, the fifteenth day of a month, the fifteenth chapter of a book, or a fifteenth birthday party. This word is the ordinal form of the number fifteen.
Evelyn's fifteenth birthday party will be held at the community centre this Saturday.
ordinal with possessive + noun (birthday)
The fifteenth chapter of the novel includes a surprising twist about the main character.
Classes start on the fifteenth of September every year at this school.
Zayd finished in fifteenth place out of forty runners in the city marathon.
文法句型
the fifteenth + noun
possessive + fifteenth + noun
用法筆記
When giving a date, 'fifteenth' is used after the name of the month: 'the fifteenth of May' or 'May fifteenth'. In American English, the shorter form 'May fifteenth' is more common, while British English more frequently uses 'the fifteenth of May'. This sense is the source of the numeral form '15th' used in informal writing.
常見錯誤
2. accounting for one of the fifteen equal parts that a whole can be divided into —
accounting for one of the fifteen equal parts that a whole can be divided into — for example, a fifteenth share of a company's profits or a fifteenth portion of the total land area.
Each of the fifteen partners received a fifteenth share of the company's yearly profit.
fractional adjective: a fifteenth share of + noun
A fifteenth portion of the inheritance was set aside for the youngest grandchild.
Rafael calculated that a fifteenth slice of the pizza was enough for one person.
A fifteenth portion of the farmland was given to each of the fifteen children.
文法句型
a fifteenth + noun
a fifteenth of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This fractional sense is less common than the ordinal sense (sense 1). It appears mainly in mathematical, financial, or measurement contexts. For everyday fractions of food or objects, speakers are more likely to say 'one fifteenth of the…' than use 'fifteenth' as a standalone adjective before the noun.
fifteenth — noun
1. one of the fifteen equal parts that make up a whole thing or amount — for exampl
one of the fifteen equal parts that make up a whole thing or amount — for example, a fifteenth of a cake when it is cut into fifteen identical pieces, or one fifteenth of a monthly salary put into savings.
Devika put a fifteenth of her monthly pay into a retirement savings account.
a fifteenth of + noun (portion of money)
Only a fifteenth of the students scored above ninety percent on the final exam.
The recipe needs a fifteenth of a cup of vanilla extract, about one teaspoon.
Eri cut the chocolate bar into fifteenths so each classmate could try a piece.
- fifteen part
less common, same meaning but not a standard single word
文法句型
a fifteenth of + noun
one fifteenth of + noun
fifteenths (plural)
用法筆記
As a noun, 'fifteenth' requires a determiner (usually 'a', 'one', or a number). The plural 'fifteenths' is common in mathematical or measurement contexts when describing multiple equal parts. Distinguish from sense 2 below: this sense focuses on the fraction (1/15), not the position in a series.
常見錯誤
2. the person, thing, or event that is in position number fifteen in an ordered ser
the person, thing, or event that is in position number fifteen in an ordered series such as a list, race, queue, or ranking — for example, the fifteenth person to arrive at a meeting or the fifteenth track on a music album.
Linh was the fifteenth to cross the finish line in the ten-kilometre charity run.
the fifteenth + infinitive (ordinal nominal)
The fifteenth on the list of candidates withdrew her name before the interview round.
Hiro checked the schedule — he was the fifteenth passenger to board the flight.
Eshe pulled out the fifteenth item — a silver bracelet she had not expected.
文法句型
the fifteenth
the fifteenth in/of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is always used with 'the' because it refers to a specific, known position. The noun commonly follows patterns like 'the fifteenth to [verb]' or 'the fifteenth in [a series]'. This sense is distinct from the fraction sense (sense 1 above) — here the focus is on rank or sequence order, not on equal parts of a whole.