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Origin and history of tenth

tenth(num.)

"next in order after the ninth; an ordinal numeral; being one of ten equal parts into which a whole is regarded as divided;" mid-12c. (or late Old English), tenðe; see ten + -th (1). It replaced Old English teoða (West Saxon), teiða (Northumbrian), which is preserved in tithe.

For the old formation, compare Old Saxon tehando, Old Frisian tegotha, Dutch tiende, Old High German zehanto, German zehnte, Gothic taihunda. For the shift, compare seventh, replacing seofunda, seofoþa; ninth, replacing niend, ninde).

As a noun from c. 1200, "a tenth part, one of 10 equal parts into which anything may be divided." As "tenth day of a month," by 1570s. Related: Tenthly. Tenthing (n.) for "tithing" is from early 14c.

also from mid-12c.

Entries linking to tenth

ninth(adj., n.)

"next in order or rank after the eighth; being one of nine equal parts into which a whole is regarded as divided;" c. 1300, nynþe, an alteration or replacement (by influence of nine) of nigonðe, from Old English nigoða, nigende, for which compare seventh. Also see -th (1). As a noun, "ordinal numeral corresponding to nine," late 13c. As the name of a musical interval, 1590s. Related: Ninthly.

seventh(adj.)

"next in order after the sixth, last in order of a series of seven; being one of seven equal parts into which a whole is or may be divided;" c. 1300, a new formation from seven + -th (1).

It replaced earlier sevende, seveth, from Old English seofunda (Anglian, Northumbrian), seofoþa (West Saxon), which is from Proto-Germanic *sebundon, *sebunthon (source also of Old Norse sjaundi, Danish syvende, Old Frisian sigunda, Old Saxon sivondo, Old High German sibunto, German siebente, siebte), from *sebun "seven." Compare Sanskrit septatha "seventh."

Compare Middle English niend, ninde, earlier for "ninth," from late Old English nigende; also earlier Middle English tende, tiende "tenth" (cognate with Old Norse tiundi, Old Frisian tianda, Old Saxon tehando).

Used as a noun from late Old English, "the (man, hour, etc.) next in order after the sixth;" by 1550s as "one of the seven equal parts into which a whole may be divided." Related: Seventhly (Middle English seventhli).

In music, by 1590s as "tone on the 7th degree above or below a given tone," also "interval between any tone and a tone the seventh degree above it.

All kinds of sevenths are classed as dissonances, the minor seventh being the most beautiful and the most useful of dissonant intervals. The seventh produced by taking two octaves downward from the sixth harmonic of the given tone is sometimes called the natural seventh; it is sometimes used in vocal music, and on instruments, like the violin, whose intonation is not fixed. [Century Dictionary]

Seventh-day for "Saturday" (the seventh day of the week) is by 1680s in the depaganized weekday names of the Society of Friends. Also in reference to Saturday as the sabbath of the Jews, hence Seventh-Day Adventist (by 1860), etc.