eighth

USAGE SUMMARY

"eighth" is a correct word in written English.
It is an ordinal number and is used to denote something occurring or occurring in the eighth position in a series. For example, "The country's eighth president was elected in 2008."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The manager was fired in February with his team struggling in eighth, yet he did get some things right.

The Guardian - Sport

Maybe it's because she's just realised that she's only the eighth lead in this film after a bunch of male nipples.

The Guardian - Film

Sunday marked the first anniversary of Leicester's promotion, at which point they were nine points clear of second-placed Burnley, 20 ahead of Derby County in third and 31 clear of Brighton in eighth place.

The Guardian - Sport

How different this year's table looks, with only seven points dividing first from eighth and only one of last year's glory-seekers competing again.

The Guardian - Sport

On a muggy, absorbing, oddly processional night Barcelona reached their eighth European Cup final with their first win in Munich, cruising past the champions of Germany without ever really having to thrum up through the gears.

The Guardian - Sport

Clear chances were few and far between for much of the match and the sides remained seventh and eighth respectively in the table.

The Guardian - Sport

Harmful consumption of alcohol rose from eighth to fifth leading cause of death and disability, worldwide, between 1990 and 2010 and the OECD says that that four in five drinkers would reduce their risk of death from any causes if they cut their alcohol intake by one unit a week.

The Guardian

Meanwhile, they are 10 points ahead of Celta in eighth.

The Guardian - Sport

It was obviously a distant dream, but I knew then that's what I wanted to do.' Henman, embarking on his eighth attempt at the men's title this week, does not always receive a favourable press, particularly when he submits himself to interviews by general feature writers.

The Guardian - Sport

The tournament will begin in Bata on 17 January with the meeting of Equatorial Guinea and Congo; the latter under the management of Claude Le Roy, at his eighth Cup of Nations with his fifth different team.

The Guardian - Sport

The highest-ranking self-published author on the 5 August NYT chart is Colleen Hoover, whose ebook Slammed ("A girl falls in love with a neighbour who enjoys slam poetry, but they encounter obstacles") comes in in eighth place, ahead of ebooks by established bestsellers James Patterson and Karin Slaughter.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To avoid ambiguity, especially in technical contexts, clarify whether "eighth" refers to position, quantity, or division (e.g., "eighth position" vs. "one-eighth of the budget").

Common error

Avoid confusing "eighth" (ordinal, position) with "one-eighth" (fractional, quantity). For example, use "the eighth contestant" for position, but "one-eighth of the cake" for quantity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "eighth" is as an ordinal number, specifying position in a sequence. Ludwig's examples showcase its use in various contexts, such as "eighth place" or "eighth attempt", and as a fractional part, like "one-eighth of the population".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Sport

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "eighth" functions primarily as an ordinal number, denoting a specific position in a sequence or a fraction representing one part of eight. As per Ludwig, "eighth" is grammatically correct and widely used in various contexts. From news reports and sports articles to business documents, "eighth" helps to convey precise information about order, division, or timing. While the term is most frequently found in News & Media and Sports, it maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. Remember to distinguish between the ordinal "eighth" and the fractional "one-eighth" to ensure clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

eighth position

Highlights the placement within an ordered sequence.

one-eighth

Replaces the ordinal form with a fractional representation.

the eighth

Functions as a noun referring to the eighth item or person.

eighth part

Emphasizes the division of a whole into eight equal segments.

number eight

Replaces the ordinal adjective with the cardinal number.

eighth in line

Specifically denotes position in a physical or conceptual line.

eighth time

Indicates the occurrence of an event for the eighth instance.

eighth instance

More formal way to say "eighth time".

eighth attempt

Indicates that something has been tried eight times.

octave

In a musical context it signifies an interval that is the "eighth" note from the first.

FAQs

How do I use "eighth" in a sentence?

"Eighth" can be used as an ordinal number to indicate position, such as in "She finished in "eighth place"" or to denote a fraction, like "one "eighth of" the pie".

What can I say instead of "eighth"?

Depending on the context, you can use "one-eighth" for a fraction or rephrase the sentence to avoid the ordinal number altogether. For instance, instead of "He was the eighth person", you could say "Seven people were ahead of him".

Is it correct to write "8th" instead of "eighth"?

Yes, "8th" is a common abbreviation for "eighth", especially in informal writing or tables. However, in formal writing, it's generally preferred to spell out "eighth".

What's the difference between "eighth" and "one-eighth"?

"Eighth" is an ordinal number, indicating position in a sequence (e.g., "the eighth day"). "One-eighth" is a fraction, representing a quantity (e.g., "one-eighth of an inch").