# sixty

/ˈsɪksti/ (US) · /sˈɪksti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sixty
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. the number 60

numeral · CEFR A1

the number 60.

For teachers: the cardinal number occurring after fifty-nine and before sixty-one.

- There are sixty minutes in one hour.
- The speed limit on this stretch of the motorway is sixty miles per hour, though many drivers frequently exceed it.

Usage: functions as a determiner or a noun.

### 2. the decade

noun · CEFR B1

the years between 60 and 69 in a century.

For teachers: the decade of a person's life or a century, specifically the years ending in 60 through 69.

- My grandfather is in his late sixty — he will be seventy next year.
- The cultural revolution of the nineteen-sixties fundamentally altered the social landscape of Western Europe.

Usage: usually pluralized as 'the sixties' when referring to a decade.

Teaching tip: When referring to the decade of the 1960s, it is almost always used in the plural form 'the sixties'.

### 3. a 60-second advertisement

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a television or radio advertisement that lasts for one minute.

For teachers: a commercial broadcast lasting exactly sixty seconds.

- The company paid a lot of money for a sixty during the big game.
- The agency produced a series of thirties and a single sixty to anchor the national television campaign.

Usage: primarily used within the advertising and broadcasting industries.

Teaching tip: This is highly specialized jargon; most learners will simply say 'a one-minute commercial'.

## Examples

- There are sixty seconds in one minute.
- My grandmother is celebrating her sixty-fifth birthday with a large party for the whole family.
- The speed limit on this stretch of the highway is sixty miles per hour, though many drivers frequently exceed it during the late hours of the night.

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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.