# thirteenth

/ˈθɝˈtinθ/ (US) · /θˈɜːtiːnθ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. position in a sequence

numeral · CEFR A2

coming after the twelfth person or thing in a series.

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

- She finished in thirteenth place out of fifty runners.
- The thirteenth floor is often omitted from elevator panels in some cultures due to long-standing superstitions regarding the number.

### 2. the day of the month

noun · CEFR A2

the day that comes after the twelfth day of a month.

For teachers: the thirteenth day of a calendar month.

- The meeting is scheduled for the thirteenth of June.
- The contract was signed on the thirteenth, exactly one month before the project was due to commence.

### 3. a fraction

noun · CEFR B2

one of thirteen equal parts of something.

For teachers: one of thirteen equal parts into which a whole is divided.

- Each person received one thirteenth of the total prize money.
- The inheritance was divided precisely, with each beneficiary receiving a thirteenth of the estate's liquid assets.

### 4. musical interval

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a large musical gap that covers an octave plus a sixth.

For teachers: the musical interval comprising an octave and a sixth; also the thirteenth degree of a diatonic scale.

- The jazz pianist played a beautiful chord with a thirteenth.
- The composer utilised a dominant thirteenth chord to create a sense of lush, unresolved tension before the final movement.

## Examples

- Today is the thirteenth of May.
- She finished in thirteenth place out of fifty runners in the local marathon.
- The thirteenth floor is often omitted from elevator panels in certain cultures due to long-standing superstitions regarding the number's supposed association with misfortune.

---

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.