What does thirteenth mean?
Thirteenth is the ordinal form of thirteen, used to identify the position immediately after twelfth. It may function as an adjective, as in 'the thirteenth day of the month' or 'her thirteenth birthday', or as a noun for the person or thing in that position, as in 'he came thirteenth'. The word is common in everyday speech, historical writing, legal contexts, and formal descriptions of sequences and rankings. Its ending reflects the wider English pattern in which numbers ending in -teen can take ordinal forms, including fourteenth and seventeenth. Although thirteenth usually describes the number 13 and its position, the noun use 'the thirteenth' can refer to a person in a broader sequence, such as a thirteenth-place finalist. The word is not restricted to a particular region and is fully standard in both British and American English.
Denoting the position or number immediately after the twelfth in a sequence.
"The thirteenth edition of the guide has been substantially revised."
Used in neutral standard English to label an item, event, date, position, or stage in a sequence.
A person or thing occupying the thirteenth position in a sequence or ranking.
"The thirteenth was awarded a place in the final."
Often used in the definite form 'the thirteenth' when the relevant sequence or ranking is understood.
The word carries the distinctive -teen ending of the numbers three through nineteen, but it points to a place in a sequence rather than to the number 13 itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does thirteenth come from?
Thirteenth is formed from thirteen with the ordinal suffix -th, following the pattern of English teen-number ordinals such as twelfth and fourteenth. The numeral thirteen itself is inherited from Old English þrītene and ultimately from Germanic forms related to three and thirty. Ordinal suffixes in English developed from older grammatical conventions, and cognate forms of the numerals and their ordinals occur across Germanic languages.
Related word forms
How thirteenth is actually used
Thirteenth is a neutral, standard ordinal term in formal and informal English. The form thirteenthly is possible but uncommon; ordinal lists are more often introduced with phrases such as 'thirteenth in the series'. As a noun, 'the thirteenth' is normally used when the context makes the sequence clear.
Easily confused with thirteenth
Thirteenth means 13th, while thirtieth means 30th.