thirty-four
thirty-four
UK[ˈθɜːti fɔː]US[ˈθɜːrti fɔːr]
cardinal number
The number equivalent to the product of three and ten; one more than thirty-three or one less than thirty-five; 34.
Morpheme Breakdown
thirty
four
thirty
30
four
4
Etymology
The compound number "thirty-four" follows the Germanic and modern English pattern of naming tens before units. "Thirty" originates from Old English þrītiġ, a contraction meaning "three tens," built on the root for "three" with a suffix denoting a decade. "Four" descends from the ancient Proto-Indo-European root kʷetwóres, which evolved through Proto-Germanic into Old English fēower. The logic of combining these elements is purely arithmetic, representing the sum (3 × 10) + 4, a transparent and consistent method for forming numbers between twenty and ninety-nine in English.
Analysis
Structure: thirty (30) + four (4)
- thirty: From Old English þrītiġ, related to þrīe (three). A Germanic base meaning "three tens". Functions as the base ten-multiple.
- four: From Old English fēower, from Proto-Germanic fedwōr, from Proto-Indo-European kʷetwóres. Functions as the unit digit.
Examples
She won the championship at the age of thirty-four.
The recipe calls for thirty-four grams of sugar.
Page thirty-four contains the crucial diagram.