thirty-third
thirty-third
UK[ˌθɜːti ˈθɜːd]US[ˌθɜːrti ˈθɜːrd]
adj
Constituting number thirty-three in a sequence; 33rd.
n
The person or thing in the thirty-third position.
n
One of thirty-three equal parts of something.
Morpheme Breakdown
thirty
third
thirty
number
third
ordinal
Etymology
The word 'thirty-third' is a transparent compound in English, formed by combining the cardinal number 'thirty' with the ordinal suffix 'third'. 'Thirty' itself originates from the Old English 'þrītiġ', a Germanic construction meaning "three tens," reflecting the base-ten counting system. 'Third' descends from Old English 'þridda', tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root trey-, meaning "three." The logic of the compound is purely arithmetic, designating the position following the thirty-second item, a pattern consistent across the English numbering system for ordinals beyond twentieth.
Analysis
Structure: thirty (number) + third (ordinal)
- thirty: From Old English þrītiġ, meaning "three tens." A Germanic compound of þrīe (three) and -tiġ (a suffix forming tens).
- third: From Old English þridda, meaning "the ordinal number corresponding to three." Derived from Proto-Germanic þridjô, from the Proto-Indo-European root trey- (three).
Examples
He finished in thirty-third place in the marathon.
We are celebrating our thirty-third wedding anniversary this year.
Approximately a thirty-third of the total budget was allocated to research.