# forty

/ˈfɔɹti/ (US) · /fˈɔːti/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. the number 40

numeral · CEFR A1

the number 40.

For teachers: the cardinal number occurring after thirty-nine and before forty-one.

- My father is turning forty next month, so we are planning a big party.
- The company celebrated its forty years of operation by offering a significant discount to its original clients.

### 2. a large bottle of beer

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Slang

a large bottle of beer that holds 40 ounces.

For teachers: a bottle of malt liquor or beer containing forty fluid ounces.

- The characters in the movie were sitting on the porch drinking a forty.
- The lyrics often referenced drinking a forty as a symbol of street life in that specific era of urban music.

Usage: Usually refers specifically to malt liquor rather than standard lager.

## Examples

- There are forty students in the classroom today.
- My father is celebrating his forty-first birthday next week, but he still feels like he is twenty.
- The survey indicates that nearly forty percent of the local population remains undecided about the proposed changes to the public transport system.

---

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.