fifty-one
UK[ˈfɪfti wʌn]US[ˈfɪfti wʌn]
cardinal number
the number equivalent to the product of five and ten plus one; 51.
Morpheme Breakdown
fifty
one
fifty
50
one
1
Etymology
the word "fifty-one" is a transparent compound formed within english by combining the cardinal numbers "fifty" and "one". "fifty" itself is an old english descendant, built from the root for "five" and the multiplicative suffix "-ty", which indicates a group of ten. "one" is a fundamental numeral with ancient germanic roots. the logic of the compound is purely arithmetic, representing the sum of fifty and one, following the standard english pattern for forming numbers between 21 and 99. this pattern showcases the analytic and combinatorial nature of the english numbering system.
Analysis
Structure: fifty (50) + one (1)
- fifty: from old english fīftig, meaning "five tens". the element 'fif' is from proto-germanic fimf, meaning "five", and '-ty' is a suffix denoting multiples of ten.
- one: from old english ān, meaning "one", from proto-germanic ainaz.
Examples
she scored fifty-one points in the basketball game.
the recipe requires fifty-one grams of chocolate.
he lives at fifty-one oak street.