Ninetieth for Dummies

Ninetieth is a term we use to describe a position or number that occupies the position just before the one hundredth position in a sequence. It is derived from the cardinal number nine plus the suffix "-tieth" which we add to indicate that a particular number is in the group of ten, as in twentieth, thirtieth, and so on. So when we say "ninetieth," we're referring to the number that comes right before one hundredth.

To put it in simpler terms, imagine you and your classmates are standing in line, waiting to go on a school trip. The teacher asks everyone to line up according to their numbers. Now, if there are exactly one hundred students in the line, the ninetieth student is the one standing just before the last ten students. They are really close to being last in line, but not quite there yet. So, when we say "ninetieth," we are talking about someone or something that is almost at the very end, but not quite.

Another way we could think about the meaning of "ninetieth" is by comparing it to a race. Let's say there are one hundred runners in a race. The runner who finishes in the ninetieth position is really close to finishing the race, but they haven't quite crossed the finish line yet. They can see the end, but they still have a little bit more to go. So, the word "ninetieth" represents being really close to the end, but not quite there.

Putting it simply, the word "ninetieth" means that something or someone is in the position just before the one hundredth position in a sequence, whether it's in a line, a race, or any other ordered arrangement. It's like being really close to the end, but not quite crossing the finish line yet.