Definition of "fifth"

fifth

/fɪfθ/

adjective
not comparable
1. The ordinal form of the number five.
noun
plural fifths
1. The person or thing in the fifth position.
2. One of five equal parts of a whole.
3. The fifth gear of an engine.
4. A quantity of liquor equal to one-fifth of a gallon, or, more commonly, 750 milliliters (that is, three quarters of a liter).
5. (music) The musical interval between one note and another five scale degrees higher (the fifth note in a scale)
  Quotations
  Now I've heard there was a secret chord / That David played, and it pleased the Lord / But you don't really care for music, do ya? / It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
  1984, Leonard Cohen (lyrics and music), “Hallelujah”, in Various Positions
6. The fifth voice in a polyphonic melody.
verb
third-person singular simple present fifths, present participle fifthing, simple past and past participle fifthed
1. (music) To sing in the fifth voice in a polyphonic melody.
  Quotations
  Another extension of strict organum is 'fifthing'. Fifthing is a note-against- note method of creating a two-part texture by improvising a second voice over the given tune, starting and ending each musical phrase at the octave and proceeding mainly in fifths above the tune at others times.
  1996, Music in Early English Religious Drama: Minstrels playing‎, page 510
  Each of these three groups contributes some special insight into the nature of fifthing and the context in which it was practiced.
  1978, Discant and the Theory of Fifthing‎
2. (transitive) To support something fifth, after four others have already done so.
  Quotations
  Though seconding (or fifthing) the praise for “BoJack Horseman” and “In Treatment,” I think I’ll use the majority of my space to discuss “You’re the Worst.”
  2017, Critics Pick the TV Shows That Get Mental Health Right — IndieWire Survey‎
3. (transitive, nonstandard) To divide by five.
  Quotations
  3/5 has been through fifthing. 2/3 has been through thirding. Therefore, 3/5 now needs thirding and 2/3 needs fifthing
  2006, Mathematics for Dyslexics: Including Dyscalculia‎, page 188

Definition of "fifth"

fifth

adjective

noun

Quotations

verb

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations