Etymologically
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eighth

Etymology and origin of the English word eighth

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
before 1000
Ultimate origin
Proto-Germanic (*ahtuðô)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /eɪtθ/, /eɪθ/[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English eightethe, eighthe, contracted from Old English eahtoþa,[2][3] from Proto-Germanic *ahtudon,[2] source also of Old High German ahtodo, Old Frisian achta, German achte and Gothic ahtuda;[2][3] see eight and -th.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Coming next after the seventh: before 1000 in the OED.[4] Etymonline dates the contracted form eighthe from the late 14th century.[2]

Semantic evolution

Eighth part, one of eight equal parts, is from 1523,[4] and the noun, an eighth part, from 1557.[4][3] In American music an eighth note is a quaver (1889).[4]

Timeline

  • before 1000 – the ordinal.[4]
  • 1523 – eighth part.[4]
  • 1557 – the noun.[4][3]
  • 1889 – eighth note.[4]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Coming next after the seventh in order.

Noun

  1. One of eight equal parts of something.
  2. The eighth person or thing in a series.
  3. (US, music) An eighth note; a quaver.

Word family

  • eighthly
  • eighth note
  • eighth rest
  • eight
  • eighteen
  • eighty
  • octave

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Eighth.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/eighth. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·