twenty-first
twenty-first
UK[ˈtwenti ˈfɜːst]US[ˈtwenti ˈfɜːrst]
adj
Coming next after the twentieth in position
n
Position 21 in a countable series of things
Morpheme Breakdown
twenty
first
twenty
20
first
foremost
Etymology
The word 'twenty-first' is a transparent compound formed from the cardinal number 'twenty' and the ordinal suffix 'first'. 'Twenty' itself derives from the Old English 'twēntig', a compound of 'twēn-' (a form of 'two') and '-tig' (a suffix denoting a group of ten), thus literally meaning 'two tens'. 'First' originates from the Old English superlative 'fyrst', related to 'fore', and carries the meaning of being preceding all others in time, order, or importance. Combined, 'twenty-first' logically denotes the ordinal position following the twentieth, a construction common across Germanic languages for forming compound ordinals beyond 'twentieth'.
Analysis
Structure: twenty (20) + first (foremost)
'Twenty' is from Old English 'twēntig', meaning 'two tens', of Germanic origin. 'First' is from Old English 'fyrst', meaning 'foremost, earliest', of Germanic origin.
Examples
We are now living in the twenty-first century.
She celebrated her twenty-first birthday with a large party.
The amendment was the twenty-first to be added to the constitution.