two-thirds
Meaning
a fraction representing two out of three equal parts of something
consisting of or amounting to two out of three equal parts
Structure
Usage
nearly two-thirds of the electorate voted in the last election.
a two-thirds majority is required to amend the constitution.
she inherited two-thirds of her grandfather's estate.
Etymology
The compound 'two-thirds' is a transparent construction in English, directly combining the cardinal number 'two' with the pluralized fractional noun 'thirds'. The word 'third' originates from the Old English ordinal number 'þridda', which itself derives from the Proto-Germanic 'þridjaz', a descendant of the Proto-Indo-European root 'trey-', meaning 'three'. The '-s' pluralization follows the standard English pattern for forming fractional nouns from ordinals (e.g., fifths, tenths). The logic of the compound is purely arithmetic, literally denoting 'two of three parts', a meaning that has remained consistent since its formation in Middle English, reflecting the language's analytic approach to creating precise numerical expressions.
Analysis
- two: from old english 'twā', of germanic origin; related to dutch 'twee' and german 'zwei', from an indo-european root shared by latin 'duo' and greek 'duo'. functions as the cardinal numeral. - thirds: from old english 'þridda', of germanic origin; related to dutch 'derde' and german 'dritte'. the '-s' is the plural suffix, forming the fractional noun meaning 'one of three equal parts'.