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twenty

num. · n.
US //ˈtwɛni// UK //twˈɛnti// twen·ty
  1. 1 the number 20 (num.)
    A1 Beginner Math

    the number 20.

    the cardinal number occurring after nineteen and before twenty-one.

    Example

    There are twenty students in the classroom today.

    Example

    The research team spent twenty months collecting data before they felt confident enough to publish their preliminary findings.
  2. 2 the years 20-29 (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    the years in a century from 20 to 29, or the age between 20 and 29.

    the decade of a century or the years of a person's life between twenty and twenty-nine inclusive; usually plural.

    Example

    The city grew very quickly during the twenties.

    Example

    Economic historians often compare the current market volatility to the boom-and-bust cycles seen in the nineteen-twenties.
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  1. 3 a 20-unit banknote (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    a piece of paper money worth twenty dollars, pounds, or euros.

    a banknote with a denomination of twenty units of currency.

    Example

    He reached into his wallet and pulled out a twenty to pay for the meal.

    Example

    The cashier asked if I had anything smaller, as she was unable to provide change for a twenty so early in the shift.
    • twenty dollar bill
  2. 4 location (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal American English Slang

    your current position or location.

    a term used to request or provide a current location, derived from the '10-20' radio code.

    Example

    I'm at the front entrance of the mall; what's your twenty?

    Example

    The dispatcher requested a twenty from the patrol unit to determine which vehicle was closest to the scene of the accident.

    Usage

    Often used in the phrase 'What's your twenty?'

    Teacher's tip

    This originated in CB radio and police codes but is now used casually in some dialects to ask where someone is.
Origin

From Middle English twenty, twenti, from Old English twēntiġ (“twenty”, literally “two tens”), from Proto-Germanic twaintigiwiz, twai tigiwiz, an old compound of twain- (“two”) + -tigaz (“group of ten”), equivalent to two + -ty, or twain + -ty. Cognate with Scots twenty, tuenty (“twenty”), West Frisian tweintich (“twenty”), Dutch twintig (“twenty”), German zwanzig (“twenty”), Danish tyve.

Idioms2 entries

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