# fifteen

/ˈfɪfˈtin/ (US) · /fɪftˈiːn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fifteen
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the number 15

numeral · CEFR A1

the number 15.

For teachers: the cardinal number following fourteen and preceding sixteen.

- There are fifteen students in my English class this morning.
- The research team spent fifteen months collecting data across three different continents before publishing their final report.

### 2. a group of fifteen

noun · CEFR B2

a group or set of fifteen people or things.

For teachers: a set or group containing fifteen units, often used in the context of sports teams like rugby union.

- The local fifteen played a great game of rugby on Saturday.
- The national fifteen took to the field under heavy rain, determined to defend their title against the visiting side.

### 3. Irish traybake dessert

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Dialect

a sweet snack from Ireland made with biscuits, marshmallows, and cherries.

For teachers: a traditional Northern Irish traybake consisting of crushed biscuits, marshmallows, and glacé cherries bound with condensed milk.

- We had tea and a couple of sweet fifteens at the café in Belfast.
- The bakery is famous for its traditional fifteens, which are prepared daily using a family recipe that has remained unchanged for decades.

Usage: Usually used in the plural form 'fifteens' when referring to the individual pieces of the traybake.

## Examples

- There are fifteen students in the classroom today.
- The train leaves in fifteen minutes, so we should start walking to the station now.
- The survey indicates that fifteen percent of the population remains undecided about the new policy, representing a significant portion of the electorate.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.