Definition

Adjective - Coming next after the forty-seventh in a series; being one of 48 equal parts. This word is used to indicate position in a sequence or, less commonly, a fractional part.

Usage

This word is used almost exclusively as an ordinal number to specify the position of something in an ordered list. It follows the standard pattern for forming ordinal numbers in English (adding "-th" to the cardinal number "forty-eight").

Examples

• Adjective (Position):

  • She finished in 48th place in the marathon.
  • The 48th state to join the United States was Arizona.
  • We are studying the 48th chapter of the book.

• Adjective (Fraction):

  • A 48th share of the estate was left to each descendant. (This usage is rare and typically found in formal, mathematical, or legal contexts.)

Advanced Usage

• "the forty-eighth": This is the common written form when the number is not expressed in numerals.
  • He was the forty-eighth person to arrive.

Variants and Related Words

• Forty-eight (Cardinal Number): The number 48.

  • There were forty-eight guests at the party.

• Ordinal Numbers: A class of words denoting position (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th... 48th).

Synonyms

• Forty-eighth: The standard synonym, used when writing the number in words.

Notes

• The word '48th' itself is not typically used in idioms or phrasal verbs. Its function is purely numerical and descriptive.

Adjective

1. the ordinal number of forty-eight in counting order