fifth
noun
ˈfith 
ˈfif(t)th,
ˈfift plural fifths ˈfiths
ˈfif(t)ths,
ˈfif(t)s
1
: one that is number five in a series see Table of Numbers
2
a
: the musical interval embracing five diatonic degrees
b
: a tone at this interval
specifically : dominant sense 1
c
: the harmonic combination of two tones at this interval
3
: a unit of measure for liquor equal to one fifth of a U.S. gallon (0.757 liter)
4
capitalized : the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
also : the right accorded by the Fifth Amendment to refuse to testify against oneself —usually used in the phrase take the Fifth
fifth adjective or adverb
fifthly adverb
Example Sentences
The bill is due on the fifth of each month. She donated a fifth of her income to charity. bought a fifth of whiskey
Recent Examples on the Web Heliopolis accounts for no more than one fifth of the capital in area. 
Amir-hussein Radjy, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2022 Kim Jong Un declared victory over North Korea’s Covid-19 outbreak that touched nearly one-fifth of the country’s population—including, apparently, himself. Dasl Yoon, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022 Roughly 100,000 physical establishments permanently closed in the United States due to Covid-19, accounting for over a fifth of all physical establishments in the country. Yec, Forbes, 24 June 2022 Qatar has supplied the bloc a little over one fifth. Anna Cooban, CNN, 30 May 2022 Tuesday's national average of $4.244 a gallon was nearly one-fifth higher than the average a month ago and almost 50 percent higher than last year’s cost, according to data from AAA. NBC News, 29 Mar. 2022 Payments have always been a scale play, but the largest market in Southeast Asia is less than one-fifth the size of China. Fortune, 8 Oct. 2021 Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, NATO released estimates indicating Russia may have lost as much as a fifth of its combat forces in about a month of fighting in Ukraine. Robert Wall, wsj.com, 24 Mar. 2022 Many developing countries – including Mongolia, Honduras, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Mexico, and Guatemala – rely on Russia for at least a fifth of their imports. The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr. 2022 See More
Amir-hussein Radjy, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2022 Kim Jong Un declared victory over North Korea’s Covid-19 outbreak that touched nearly one-fifth of the country’s population—including, apparently, himself. Dasl Yoon, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022 Roughly 100,000 physical establishments permanently closed in the United States due to Covid-19, accounting for over a fifth of all physical establishments in the country. Yec, Forbes, 24 June 2022 Qatar has supplied the bloc a little over one fifth. Anna Cooban, CNN, 30 May 2022 Tuesday's national average of $4.244 a gallon was nearly one-fifth higher than the average a month ago and almost 50 percent higher than last year’s cost, according to data from AAA. NBC News, 29 Mar. 2022 Payments have always been a scale play, but the largest market in Southeast Asia is less than one-fifth the size of China. Fortune, 8 Oct. 2021 Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, NATO released estimates indicating Russia may have lost as much as a fifth of its combat forces in about a month of fighting in Ukraine. Robert Wall, wsj.com, 24 Mar. 2022 Many developing countries – including Mongolia, Honduras, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Mexico, and Guatemala – rely on Russia for at least a fifth of their imports. The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English fifte, fifthe, from Old English fīfta, from fīf five
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing fifth
Kids Definition
fifth 1 of 2
adjective
ˈfifth
: coming right after fourth
fifth
2 of 2noun
1
: number five in a series
The school year began on the fifth of September.
2
: one of five equal parts
I got a fifth of the money.