What does ninth mean?
Ninth is the ordinal number used to identify the position of something after eight others in a sequence. It functions as both an adjective, as in “the ninth chapter,” and a noun, as in “He came ninth.” The word is also used for dates: “the ninth of July” means July 9 in British and American usage. In competition, “ninth place” identifies the runner who finishes after eight competitors. Although ninth is less frequent in ordinary speech than first, second, or third, it remains useful in schedules, rankings, grades, lists, and calendar references. Its form follows the standard English pattern of adding the ordinal suffix “-th” to a cardinal number, with the irregular change from nine to nine before the suffix.
The position or place occupied by the ninth member of an ordered series, or the person or thing holding that position.
"The team took ninth in the national championship."
Often used with a definite article, as in “the ninth,” and particularly common in rankings and competitions.
Denoting the ninth item or position in a series.
"We are meeting on the ninth floor."
When used before a noun, it identifies that noun's ordinal position; with a date, it forms the standard expression “the ninth of” plus the month.
The plural is used when referring to multiple ninth places, positions, or results.
"She earned three ninth-place finishes in a single season."
Ninth is pronounced with the same “th” sound as the word month, even though the two words have no historical connection.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ninth come from?
Ninth developed from Old English nīunda, an ordinal form meaning “the ninth,” based on the word for nine. Modern English preserves the same nine-plus-ordinal-suffix pattern while allowing a spelling change between the final vowel and the “th.” Cognates with the same ordinal meaning appear in languages including Old Norse, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, and German.
Related word forms
How ninth is actually used
As an adjective, “ninth” normally precedes a noun; after a definite article, it is commonly used as a noun in phrases such as “the ninth of May.” The adverb “ninthly” is grammatically correct but is used far less often than the more familiar “ninth.”