Fourty vs. Forty: The Correct Spellings

Remembering the spelling of "forty" can be tricky because of the change from "four." A good trick might be: "When it's more than four, it's 'forty' without the 'u'."

There aren't many derivative forms of "forty" as it's primarily a numeral. However, in terms of phrasing, we might use "fortieth" to indicate order.

The correct word is "forty" and not "fourty." This might seem odd, given that the number four is spelled with a "u," but "forty" drops this letter. English often showcases these irregularities due to its diverse origins and history. The term "forty" has its roots in Old English, derived from "feowertig," where "feower" means four and "tig" means group of ten.

Incorrect: The recipe called for fourty grams of sugar, which seemed like a lot.

Correct: The recipe called for forty grams of sugar, which seemed like a lot.

Incorrect: She thought there were fourty students in her class, but there were actually fewer.

Correct: She thought there were forty students in her class, but there were actually fewer.

Incorrect: He ran fourty miles last week as part of his training.

Correct: He ran forty miles last week as part of his training.

Incorrect: Can you believe he's turning fourty next month?

Correct: Can you believe he's turning forty next month?

Incorrect: I found fourty errors in the document, which was surprising.

Correct: I found forty errors in the document, which was surprising.

Forty can symbolize the years of a century, typically the years 40 to 49.

Forty can be used to denote age, especially the years of a person's life between 40 and 49.

Forty refers to the number equivalent to four times ten.

Forty can be a symbol for a size or amount.

Forty can represent a significant number in religious and cultural contexts.

The cardinal number equal to 4 × 10.

A decade or the numbers from 40 to 49

often Forties The decade from 40 to 49 in a century.

The cardinal number occurring after thirty-nine and before forty-one.

Four times ten; thirty-nine and one more.

The sum of four tens; forty units or objects.

A symbol expressing forty units; as, 40, or xl.

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and four

being ten more than thirty

The teacher assigned forty pages of reading for homework.

My grandmother is forty years older than me.

It took them forty minutes to reach the park.

There are forty students in my class this year.

She saved forty dollars to buy a new game.

The marathon is forty-two kilometers long.

It's only forty degrees outside, so you'll need a coat.

The puzzle has forty pieces, so it shouldn't take long to complete.

Forty percent of the cake was gone by the time I got there.

They planted forty new trees in the park last spring.

They celebrated their fortieth anniversary last summer.

The ancient fortress was built over forty centuries ago.

The bridge was constructed with forty steel beams.

She runs forty miles a week to train for the marathon.

I can't believe the temperature dropped forty degrees overnight.

Forty volunteers showed up to help clean the beach.

Forty students competed in the science fair.

The recipe requires forty grams of butter.

He guessed that around forty people would attend the party.

The museum is about forty blocks from here.

The company has forty employees.

It rained for forty days and forty nights.

I waited forty minutes for the bus this morning.

They live forty miles away from the city.

He's been teaching for over forty years.

This means that life improves as one gets older, starting around the age of 40.

To greatly shock or scare someone.

A phrase used to indicate something one wouldn't touch or approach, usually in the format "I wouldn't touch it with a forty-foot pole."

To try all possible means.

A term in tennis when one player has forty points, and the other has none.

Refers to the unfulfilled promise of reparations for African-American slaves after the Civil War.

A short nap.

Refers to the many shades of green in the Irish landscape.

A famous street in Manhattan, often associated with its theaters and the entertainment industry.

To repeat something many times to ensure understanding or compliance.

Referring to a great depth or distance, inspired by Jules Verne's novel "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea."

Very close, as if only a short nap separates you from it.

A long and arduous period, referencing the biblical story of the flood.

A humorous and nonsensical unit of measurement, indicating confusion or absurdity.

English has several irregularities, and "forty" is one such instance. The "u" in "four" is dropped when forming "forty."

The confusion likely stems from the presence of "u" in the spelling of "four."

Think of the phrase: "When it's more than four, it's 'forty' without the 'u'."

The correct spelling is "forty." "Fourty" is a misspelling.

"Forty" is derived from Old English "feowertig," where "feower" means four and "tig" means group of ten.

Yes, for indicating order, we use "fortieth."

Yes, in many cultures and religions, forty has special significance, such as the forty days of Lent in Christianity.

Yes, due to the intuitive connection to "four," many people mistakenly include the "u" in "forty."

No, "forty" is the accepted spelling in both American and British English.

"Forty" can refer to quantities, ages, decades, sizes, and even hold cultural or religious significance.