Definition

Adjective: - Being eight more than ninety; denoting the number 98.

Usage

This word is a cardinal numeral, specifically a compound adjective formed from Roman numerals. It is used in formal, historical, or specialized contexts (such as in lists, outlines, or clock faces) to represent the number ninety-eight. In modern everyday language, the Arabic numeral "98" or the written form "ninety-eight" is almost always preferred.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The manuscript was dated xcviii years after the founding of the city. (The manuscript was dated 98 years after the founding of the city.)
  • Chapter xcviii of the book is particularly long. (Chapter 98 of the book is particularly long.)

Advanced Usage

• Stylistic Use: The form 'xcviii' is primarily used for stylistic purposes, such as in the copyright year of films or books, on monuments, or in formal documents to evoke a classical or traditional tone.
  • © MCMXCVIII (© 1998)

Variants and Related Words

• 98: The standard Arabic numeral form.
• ninety-eight: The standard written word form.
• XCVIII: The all-capitals variant, identical in meaning.
• Cardinal number: A number denoting quantity (e.g., one, two, ninety-eight), as opposed to an ordinal number (e.g., first, second, ninety-eighth).

Synonyms

• Ninety-eight: The direct and most common synonym.

Notes on Meaning

This word has only one specific meaning: it is an adjective representing the exact numerical value of 98. It is not used idiomatically or in phrasal verbs. Its usage is purely referential to the quantity or position in a sequence.

Adjective

1. being eight more than ninety