sixteenth
UK[ˌsɪksˈtiːnθ]US[ˌsɪksˈtiːnθ]
adj
Constituting number sixteen in a sequence; 16th.
n
Each of sixteen equal parts into which something is or may be divided.
n
The position in a sequence corresponding to the number 16.
Morpheme Breakdown
six
teen
th
six
6
teen
ten
th
ordinal suffix
Etymology
The word 'sixteenth' is a transparent ordinal number construction in English, built directly upon its cardinal counterpart 'sixteen'. Its first element, 'six', descends from the Proto-Indo-European root s(w)eḱs, a stable numeral preserved in Latin 'sex' and Greek 'hex'. The '-teen' suffix, derived from Old English '-tēne' meaning 'ten', indicates an addition to a base of ten, a pattern common to Germanic languages. Finally, the Old English ordinal suffix '-th' is appended, completing the word's evolution from a literal meaning of "six plus ten-th" to its modern function denoting position or fractional division.
Analysis
Structure: six (6) + teen (ten) + th (ordinal suffix)
- six: From Old English 'siex', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'zes' and German 'sechs', from an Indo-European root shared by Latin 'sex' and Greek 'hex'. Functions as the cardinal number base.
- teen: From Old English '-tēne', a suffix forming the cardinal numbers from thirteen to nineteen, meaning 'ten'. It originates from a Germanic compound (e.g., Old English 'tīen' for 'ten').
- th: From Old English '-tha', '-the', an ordinal number suffix. It is of Germanic origin and is used to form ordinal numbers from cardinal numbers.
Examples
She is celebrating her sixteenth birthday next week.
Approximately one sixteenth of the total area was set aside for conservation.
The composer finished the piece in the early sixteenth century.