seventy-eight
UK[ˈsev.ən.ti ˈeɪt]US[ˈsev.ən.ti ˈeɪt]
cardinal number
the number equivalent to the product of seven and ten plus eight; 78.
Morpheme Breakdown
seventy
eight
seventy
70
eight
8
Etymology
the word "seventy-eight" is a transparent compound formed within english from its old english and germanic roots. "seventy" itself is an ancient compound, originating from the old english 'seofontig', meaning "seven tens," where the suffix '-tig' denoted a decade. "eight" descends from the old english 'eahta', traceable to the proto-indo-European root 'oḱtṓw', a cardinal numeral. the modern compound follows the standard english pattern for numbering from twenty to ninety-nine, where the tens unit is stated first and joined with a hyphen to the single digit, creating a literal and logical sum.
Analysis
Structure: seventy (70) + eight (8)
seventy: from old english 'seofontig', a compound of 'seofon' (seven) and '-tig' (group of ten). eight: from old english 'eahta', from proto-germanic 'ahtōu', from pie 'oḱtṓw'.
Examples
the classic jazz record was pressed on a seventy-eight rpm disc.
my grandmother celebrated her seventy-eighth birthday with a large family gathering.
the committee is composed of seventy-eight voting members.