# sixteenth

/ˈsɪkˈstinθ/ (US) · /sˈɪkstiːnθ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sixteenth
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. position in a sequence

numeral · CEFR A2

coming after the fifteenth and before the seventeenth.

For teachers: the ordinal form of the number sixteen, indicating a position in a sequence.

- She celebrated her sixteenth birthday with a big party for all her friends.
- The sixteenth century was a period of significant religious and political upheaval across the European continent.

### 2. one of sixteen parts

noun · CEFR B1

one of sixteen equal parts that make up a whole.

For teachers: one of sixteen equal parts into which a whole is or may be divided.

- A sixteenth of the cake is a very small piece, but it was enough for me.
- The carpenter measured the wood precisely, noting that the board was off by a sixteenth of an inch.

## Examples

- Today is my sixteenth birthday.
- She finished in sixteenth place, which was a great result for her first major race.
- The sixteenth century was a period of significant religious and political upheaval across Europe, marked by the rise of the Reformation.

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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.