How Do You Spell FORTY SECOND?

Pronunciation: [fˈɔːti sˈɛkənd] (IPA)

The word "forty second" is spelled with a "t" rather than a "d," despite the fact that the pronunciation may suggest otherwise. This is because the suffix "-ty" in "forty" generally takes a "t" sound in English. The word can be transcribed phonetically as /ˈfɔːti ˈsɛkənd/ in IPA, indicating the presence of the long "o" sound in "forty" and the hard "k" sound in "second." Regardless of its spelling, "forty second" always refers to the ordinal position of a given object or event, following the fortieth and preceding the forty-third.

FORTY SECOND Meaning and Definition

1. "Forty-second" is an adjective used to describe the position or ordinal rank of something or someone in a sequential order, specifically referring to the number 42 in a series. It is derived from the cardinal number "forty-two" and the suffix "-nd" which signifies an ordinal number.

   In numerical terms, "forty-second" corresponds to the number immediately following forty-one and preceding forty-three. It holds a position that is exactly two spots ahead of fortieth and one place behind forty-third in a series. For instance, if one were to count a list of items, the item ranked as the "forty-second" would be the 42nd item in the series.

   Furthermore, the term "forty-second" can also be applied to describe the forty-second occurrence of a cyclical event or happening. For instance, if a particular event repeats regularly, the occurrence of that specific event for the forty-second time would be referred to as the "forty-second occurrence."

   The usage of "forty-second" extends beyond mere numbering of items or events and can also be employed to describe the position or placement of individuals or things in rankings, scores, or achievements. For example, an athlete who finishes in the forty-second position in a race signifies that they came 42nd out of all the participants, with 41 people finishing ahead of them. Thus, "forty-second" is a term utilized to indicate a specific numerical position or order in various contexts.

Etymology of FORTY SECOND

The term "forty second" is a combination of two separate words: "forty" and "second".

1. "Forty": The word "forty" originated from the Old English word "feowertig" or "feowertiȝ", which is a combination of "feower" (four) and "-tig" (-ty), meaning "group of ten". This connection to "four" is evident in other Indo-European languages as well. It eventually evolved into "forty" in Middle English.

2. "Second": The word "second" traces its roots back to the Latin word "secundus", meaning "following" or "next". It was derived from the Latin verb "sequi", which means "to follow". This word then made its way into Old French as "second", and it entered Middle English in the 14th century.