eighty

IPA/ˈeɪ.ti/

KK[ˈeti]IPA/ˈeɪ.t̬i/

1.numberA2

Definition

The number that comes after seventy-nine and before eighty-one, written as the digits 80; used before a noun to say how many of something there are.

Example

Wei invited eighty guests to his wedding reception.

eighty + plural noun for quantity

The old banyan tree next to the temple is over eighty years old.

over eighty + unit of time

Grammar Patterns

eighty + plural noun

eighty + years/miles/dollars/percent

be + eighty + years old

Usage Note

Unlike nouns, the number 'eighty' does not take 'a' or 'an' when it directly modifies a noun: 'eighty students' (NOT 'an eighty students'). Use 'eighty' before the noun it counts, just like other cardinal numbers. When talking about age, 'He is eighty' (without 'years old') is common in everyday speech, but 'years old' is added before a noun: 'an eighty-year-old building'.

Common Mistakes

There are eighty peoples in the hall.

There are eighty people in the hall.

'People' is already plural; do not add -s to it.

The journey takes an eighty minutes.

The journey takes eighty minutes.

Do not use 'a' or 'an' before a cardinal number used as a determiner.

He is eighty-years-old.

He is eighty years old.

When 'eighty' modifies a noun, use hyphens: 'an eighty-year-old woman'. When it follows 'be', no hyphens: 'She is eighty years old'.

1.nounA2

Definition

The number 80 considered as a figure or an amount, rather than as a way to count things; the written symbol '80' or the value that equals eight times ten.

Example

Write the number eighty in the box at the top of the form.

the number + eighty for the figure

Nadia counted eighty pebbles on the beach before putting them in a jar.

count + number + plural noun for concrete quantity

Grammar Patterns

a + eighty + (score/out of)

the number eighty

eighty as a figure/symbol

Usage Note

As a countable noun, 'eighty' can take an article: 'an eighty' means a score or mark of 80. This sense is common in education (test scores), maths (arithmetic), and games (points). To talk about a person's age in the 80–89 range, use the plural 'eighties' (see the second noun sense).

Common Mistakes

I got eighty on my test.' (if the score is exactly 80, this is fine; but if it's between 80-89, use 'eighties').

I scored an eighty on my history test.

Use 'an' before 'eighty' when treating it as a countable result or score.

2.nounA2

Definition

The range of numbers from 80 to 89, especially used to describe a person's age (being between 80 and 89 years old), a temperature range, or the years of a decade such as the 1980s.

Example

Zara is in her eighties but still swims every morning at the local pool.

in one's eighties for age range

Nadia loved the bright colors and pop music of the nineteen-eighties.

the nineteen-eighties for the decade

Common collocations

in one's eighties
the nineteen-eighties
the early eighties
the late eighties
the mid-eighties
high eighties
low eighties
well into one's eighties

Grammar Patterns

in one's eighties

the (early/mid/late) eighties

the nineteen-eighties

the (low/high) eighties

Usage Note

This sense is always used in the plural form 'eighties'. For ages, use a possessive determiner: 'in her eighties', 'in his eighties'. For decades, use 'the eighties' or 'the nineteen-eighties'. For temperatures, use 'the low eighties' (80–83°F), 'the mid-eighties' (84–86°F), or 'the high eighties' (87–89°F). Do not use this form for the exact number 80 — that is the first noun sense.

Common Mistakes

My grandfather is in his eighty.

My grandfather is in his eighties.

The age range 80–89 always takes the plural form 'eighties'.

He was born in the eighty.

He was born in the eighties.

Use 'the eighties' with a plural verb for the decade.

Word family

eight
numberA1
eighteen
numberA2
eighteenth
adjectiveB1
eighth
adjectiveA2
eighth
nounB1
eightieth
adjectiveB1
eightieth
nounB2
eightyish
adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: number/1

Learners sometimes confuse 'eighty' with other 'eight-' words. 'Eight' (A1) is the base number — 'There are eight apples on the table.' 'Eighteen' (A2) means 18, not 80 — the '-teen' suffix indicates ten plus eight. A common mistake is saying 'eighteen dollars' when the price is actually $80. 'Eighth' (A2) is the ordinal form meaning 8th in a sequence — 'He finished eighth in the race.' To keep them straight: 'eighty' ends with '-y' (like 'twenty', 'thirty'), signalling a multiple of ten, while 'eighteen' ends with '-teen' (like 'thirteen', 'fourteen'), signalling addition to ten. When listening, the stress pattern also differs: EIGH-ty (two syllables, stress on first) vs. eight-EEN (two syllables, stress on second).

eight ↗eighteen ↗eighth ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

eighty percent
eighty years
eighty miles
eighty dollars
eighty people
eighty pages

Phrases

eighty years old
in one's eighties
the nineteen-eighties
eighty out of a hundred
eighty miles per hour

Prepositions

over eighty
about eighty
around eighty
nearly eighty
almost eighty

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

'Eighty' comes from Old English 'eahtatig', which was formed by combining 'eahta' (eight) with '-tig' (a suffix meaning 'group of ten', related to modern '-ty' in numbers like 'sixty' and 'ninety'). The word has close relatives in other Germanic languages: German 'achtzig', Dutch 'tachtig', and Swedish 'åttio'. The modern spelling with '-y' instead of '-ig' became standard in Middle English.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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eighty

eighty — number

1. The number that comes after seventy-nine and before eighty-one, written as the d

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

eighty — noun

1. The number 80 considered as a figure or an amount, rather than as a way to count

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. The range of numbers from 80 to 89, especially used to describe a person's age (

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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