plural forties
1
: a number equal to four times 10 see Table of Numbers
2
forties plural
: the numbers 40 to 49
specifically
: the years 40 to 49 in a lifetime or century
3
: the third point scored by a side in a game of tennis
4
or 40 US, informal
: a forty-ounce bottle or other container of an alcoholic beverage (such as beer or malt liquor)
Kelvin finished his forty in seven or eight long gulps. Tossed the bottle in the median carpeted with brown grass.—Dave Byrne
… smoking weed and drinking 40s while her kids run loose.—Jim Schutze
forty
adjective
forty
pronoun, plural in construction
The Spelling of Forty: Usage Guide
Four is spelled with a u, as is fourteen. Forty, however, has no u, and neither does its close relation fortieth. There is no explanation for this inconsistency. In centuries past fourty was one of many spellings English users employed, but it had lost favor for reasons unknown by the end of the 18th century.
Cite this Entry
“Forty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forty. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.
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