ninety

ninety

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Pronunciation

ninety

• /ˈnaɪnti/

• nai-: /naɪ/ (diphthong /aɪ/ as in "my," followed by /n/)

• -nty: /nti/ (alveolar stop /t/ followed by alveolar nasal /n/, then high front unrounded vowel /ɪ/)

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Word Form Variations

"Ninety" is primarily used as a numeral or adjective, and less commonly as a noun. As such, its variations are limited.

• Cardinal Number: ninety

• Ordinal Number: ninetieth (e.g., "the ninetieth contestant")

• Noun (referring to the number itself or a set of ninety): nineties (plural, e.g., "in the nineties," "the roaring nineties")

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Numeral/Adjective

• Definition 1: Representing the cardinal number equivalent to the product of nine and ten; one more than eighty-nine.

• Synonyms: n/a (as a specific number, it doesn't have synonyms in the traditional sense)

• Antonyms: n/a

• Definition 2: Denoting a quantity, group, or collection consisting of ninety units or items.

• Synonyms: ninetyfold (less common)

• Antonyms: n/a

Noun

• Definition 1: The cardinal number 90.

• Synonyms: XCIX (Roman numeral, though not a true synonym), score of forty-five (archaic)

• Antonyms: n/a

• Definition 2 (plural "nineties"): The decade from 1990 to 1999, or, more generally, any decade from the beginning of a century to its tenth year that starts with 90 (e.g., 1890s, 1790s).

• Synonyms: nineties era, turn of the century (if referring to the late 1890s moving into 1900s)

• Antonyms: n/a (refers to a specific time period)

• Definition 3 (plural "nineties"): A temperature range between 90 and 99 degrees (typically Fahrenheit, but context-dependent), often used to describe hot weather.

• Synonyms: hot spell, heatwave (if sustained)

• Antonyms: chilly, cold spell

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Examples of Use

• Books: "It was the summer of ninety-two, and everything felt possible," she wrote in her memoir, The Unfinished Song.

• Newspapers: "The latest poll shows the incumbent with a ninety percent approval rating among registered voters." ( The Daily Herald)

• Online Publications: "How to save ninety percent on your grocery bill every month: expert tips and tricks." ( LifeHacks.com)

• Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the classic action film Speed, a bus must maintain a speed of at least ninety miles per hour to prevent a bomb from detonating.

• Entertainment Platforms (Music): The hit song's chorus repeats, "Dancing in the nineties, living our best lives."

• General Public Discourse: "I told him I'd be there in ninety minutes, tops."

• General Public Discourse: "My grandmother is turning ninety next month, and we're planning a huge celebration."

• Entertainment Platforms (Video Game Review): "Despite a few minor glitches, the game delivers a solid ninety hours of engaging gameplay." ( GameReviewer.net)

• Online Publications: "Real estate prices in the city have soared by nearly ninety percent over the past decade." (Property Insights Weekly)

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10 Quotes Using Ninety

1. "Ninety percent of the game is half mental." (Yogi Berra)

2. "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. Also, ninety percent of good luck is simply good planning." (Harrison Ford)

3. "Ninety percent of success is showing up." (Woody Allen)

4. "Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. My mama told me that, and I'll be ninety in 30 days." (Judy Garland)

5. "A man has to learn that ninety-nine percent of the time, the world doesn't care if you're nice." (Bill Mauldin)

6. "Ninety percent of all problems are due to miscommunication." (Stephen Covey)

7. "I'm at that age where my back goes out more than I do. And that's about ninety years of age." (Phyllis Diller)

8. "Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad name." (Henry Kissinger)

9. "Ninety-nine percent of who you are is invisible and untouchable." (R. Buckminster Fuller)

10. "Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are children." (Will Rogers)

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Etymology

The word "ninety" has a clear and ancient origin, tracing back to the very roots of the English language.

Essentially, "ninety" means "nine tens." It comes from a combination of two older words:

• "Nine": This part of the word comes from the Old English word "nigen," which itself comes from a much older Proto-Germanic word "*newun." This root is also found in similar words for "nine" in many other European languages, like Latin "novem" and Greek "ennea."

• "-ty": This ending means "group of ten" or "times ten." It comes from the Old English suffix "-tig," which is related to the word "ten." You can see this same pattern in other numbers like "twenty" (two tens), "thirty" (three tens), and so on.

So, put together, "ninety" literally means "nine groups of ten."

The first known use of "ninety" in its current meaning, referring to the number 90, can be found in Old English, which dates back to before the year 1150. So, it's a very old word that has been a part of the English language for well over a thousand years. Its meaning has remained consistently the same: the number that is ten times nine.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Ninety

• Ninety-degree turn: A sudden and sharp change in direction or opinion.

• A ninety-mile-an-hour fastball: Referring to something very fast, often in sports.

• The nineties: Refers to the decade from 1990-1999 (e.g., "music from the nineties").

• Dress to the nines: To dress very elegantly or stylishly (uses "nines" as a related concept).

• On cloud nine: In a state of extreme happiness (uses "nine" as a related concept).

• The whole nine yards: Everything; all of it (uses "nine" as a related concept).

• A stitch in time saves nine: Addressing a problem early prevents it from becoming worse (uses "nine" as a related concept).

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of ninety from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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